T.J. Maxx Hacker Pleads Guilty, Could Get 25 Years
The T.J. Maxx heist and similar data breaches at BJ's Wholesale Club and OfficeMax were listed in the 20 charges to which Gonzalez, who used the screen name "segvec" during his hacking exploits, pleaded guilty. On Friday, the computer hacker pleaded guilty to federal charges in New York and Massachusetts, and also faces charges in New Jersey.
It was not clear how Gonzalez's victims would be compensated for damages that could run to the hundreds of millions of dollars. The value of cash and assets that authorities have confiscated from Gonzalez are only worth about $1.6 million, according to reports.
"I have a sinking sensation that the number of victims may exceed the available recovery," said Judge Patti Saris, who presided over Gonzalez's hearing Friday.