11 around world accused in TJX, other identity-theft cases
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged 11 people in connection with electronic break-ins involving the theft of 40 million credit and debit card numbers, including thefts from a company that operates the Winners and HomeSense stores in Canada.
The 11 include three U.S. citizens, three people from Ukraine, two from China and one each from Estonia and Belarus. The 11th person is known only by the online alias "Delpiero."
The accused face charges ranging from conspiracy and computer intrusion to fraud and identity theft.
Indictments unsealed Tuesday said hackers captured card numbers, passwords and account information from the companies' wireless networks, and then encrypted the data on servers they operated in Eastern Europe and the United States.
The companies that were hacked include U.S. retailers — bookstore Barnes & Noble, discounter BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Sports Authority and shoe seller DSW. Fashion store Forever 21 and TJX Cos., which runs the Winners and HomeSense chains, operate in both Canada and the U.S.
To settle a class-action suit, TJX last year agreed to give vouchers worth up to $60 to Winners and HomeSense clients who had to change their credit information. Canada's privacy commissioner said last year that the company could have prevented the break-in.
"This case clearly shows how strokes on a keyboard with a criminal purpose can have costly results," U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said.
With files from the Associated Press
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