Officials crack largest ID theft ring ever.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT - Brief article

Federal prosecutors have cracked the largest hacking and identity theft ring ever. Officials charged 11 people with stealing more than 41 million credit and debit card numbers from national retailers including T.J. Maxx, Barnes & Noble, and BJ's Wholesale Club.

The New York Times reported that three of the defendants are United States citizens, one is from Estonia, three are from Ukraine, two are from China, and one is from Belarus. The name and whereabouts of the final defendant are unknown.

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According to federal officials, a principal organizer of the ring was Albert Gonzalez, a man from Miami who was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges of computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy, among other charges. If convicted on all counts, he could face life in prison.

The ring was sophisticated, organized, and technologically savvy. The Times said Gonzalez and his associates drove around and scanned the wireless networks of retailers to...