Albert Gonzalez, the alleged ringleader of the largest identity theft in US history, has agreed to plead guilty to all 19 counts of related charges against him, according to court documents filed on Friday.
Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, was accused in August 2008 of helping steal millions of credit card and debit card numbers from major US retail chains. Among the retailers hacked were TJX Companies (owner of T.J. Maxx), BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever21, and DSW.
Under a plea agreement filed with the U.S. Attorneys Office in Boston, Gonzalez would serve a sentence of 15 to 25 years after pleading guilty by 11 September to charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
Gonzalez, who is already in jail, would also have to forfeit a range of possessions, such as almost $3m (£1.85m) in cash, his Miami condominium, a 2006 BMW, several computers, and three Rolex watches.
The agreement also would resolve 2008 charges pending against Gonzalez in federal court in New York, connected with hacking the computer network of Dave & Buster's restaurant chain.
A former federal government informant, Gonzalez was also recently indicted in New Jersey, along with two unnamed Russian men. That indictment covers charges of hacking into Heartland Payment Systems, as well as systems for 7-Eleven, the Hannaford Brothers supermarket chain, and two unnamed corporate victims. The trio also allegedly stole data related to more than 130 million credit and debit cards. This is considered to be one of the biggest data breach cases in US history.
Rene Palomino, who is listed as Gonzalez's attorney within Friday's plea agreement, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
