Hacker Gets 7 Years for Stolen Credit Cards

Hacker Gets 7 Years for Stolen Credit Cards

WASHINGTON – Aleksandr Suvorov, a 28-year-old Estonian hacker, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in two hacking schemes that affected over 240,000 credit cards. Suvorov was an accomplice to Albert Gonzalez, one of the most prolific identity thieves ever prosecuted by the U.S. government.

In one scheme, Suvorov hacked into national restaurant chain Dave & Buster’s and stole over 80,000 credit card numbers. In another scheme, he sold over 160,000 stolen credit card numbers to an undercover agent with the U.S. Secret Service.

Suvorov pleaded guilty in May 2009 to a wire fraud conspiracy charge and in November 2011 to a trafficking in unauthorized access devices charge. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein in Central Islip, N.Y.

“Mr. Suvorov participated in a scheme to sell thousands of credit card numbers stolen from unsuspecting consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer. “Computer hackers like Mr. Suvorov victimize businesses and individuals, posing a serious threat to their financial security. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that cyber criminals operating abroad will suffer severe consequences for their crimes.”

U.S. Attorney Lynch added, “Suvorov reached across an ocean to victimize thousands of Americans. That ocean was no protection from the reach of U.S. law enforcement, whose coordinated efforts put a stop to Suvorov and his cohorts’ criminal scheme. He will now serve his sentence in the country of his victims.”

Suvorov was also ordered to pay $675,000 in restitution and to satisfy a $300,000 asset forfeiture judgment. The case demonstrates the potential for criminals to inflict significant damage to our nation’s financial sector, but this investigation and the resulting sentences should serve as a warning to cyber criminals that law enforcement will continue to pursue them wherever they are.

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