Hacker in US payment card theft pleads guilty

BOSTON,  (Reuters) – A 28-year-old computer hacker  pleaded guilty to some of the largest identity theft crimes on  record yesterday and left a federal judge grappling with how to  compensate millions of victims.

Court documents filed in August had shown that Albert  Gonzalez of Miami would plead guilty to federal charges in  Massachusetts and New York that he helped lead a worldwide ring  that stole more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers.

Stores from which the data were stolen included TJX Cos Inc, parent of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc  and OfficeMax Inc. Gonzalez faces similar charges in New Jersey.