AfterDawn: News

Hacker Gonzalez asks for reduced sentence, cites autism

Albert Gonzalez, the 28 year-old hacker convicted of stealing and reselling over 170 million credit and ATM card numbers, has asked the presiding judge in his case for a reduced sentence, citing Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

In September, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to 20 counts of identity theft, wire fraud, computer fraud and conspiracy after hacking the corporate systems of TJX Companies, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Dave & Buster's, Hannaford Brothers, 7-Eleven and Heartland Payment Systems.



Gonzalez's lawyers have submitted a psychiatrist evaluation which concluded that the hacker's behavior did indeed shows signs of Asperger's.

The convicted felon faces 15 to 25 years for his crimes and is asking the judge for a sentence closer to 15.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 18 Dec 2009 23:59

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• 35 comments

• garmoon

  For all the work, this slime ball has cause the unfortunate victims, he deserves the max. He'll soon be suffering Manlove BIproxy along with his ASSpergers.

  19.12.2009 00:16 #1

• KillerBug

  Autism is not an excuse for being a skilled con man.

  19.12.2009 00:19 #2

• jony218

  I only wish the Texas judge "maximum bob" was still around, he would give him a "just" sentence on the "maximum" side for his heinous crimes.
  
  Hopefully his fellow inmates go easy on him and don't traumatized him too much during his incarceration.

  19.12.2009 00:49 #3

• nonoitall

  I have some friends who are autistic. (And they have a more pronounced form of autism than Asperger's.) They're doing just fine without stealing 170,000,000 credit card numbers. In fact, they're actually making productive use of their lives.

  19.12.2009 00:52 #4

• D05

  Wow, this guys legal team keeps up with other hackers whos been convicted. Hes trying to do what Gary Mckinnon(a british hacker who broke in the pentagon..not really breaking since he claimed the pentagon didnt have secured network,who also states he has aspergers) is using to avoid spending time in US prisons. And Guys seriously aren't most computer nerds a little socially awkward.

  19.12.2009 01:44 #5

• engage16

  I never thought of myself as being socially awkward...

  19.12.2009 02:00 #6

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by engage16: I never thought of myself as being socially awkward...Then you are not a nerd...or you are just clueless...or both.

  19.12.2009 02:49 #7

• DXR88

  if they want to reduce his sentence let him do something more Useful,Like Reversing What he did do Make a Better Security System Model so it doesn't happen again.
  
  his skill can be used. After all if Hackers Didn't exist everything would be hanging out in the Open for anyone to grab.
  
  i remember way back, when i was about 8 or 9 can remember, i did some bad Stuff to a local ISP. all kinds of records and Check routing Numbers.
  
  they took my Dial-up away, an confiscated My 3500 Dollar Machine Of DOOM. 4MB of RAM a 100MB HDD all the storage you'll ever need and a Power Full i386DX not to Mention my Balls out 8bit Monitor, oh yeah and my 28.8BPS Modem.
  
  i haven't done it Again, im sure Hacking is rather difficult these days with all those Hacking kits be passed around.

  19.12.2009 03:10 #8

• thor999

  That time of month, killerbug?

  19.12.2009 04:17 #9

• slickwill

  Looking at the situation from a different perspective, this guy has hit the jackpot. This guy will be able to spend the next 15 to 25 years of his life in a "minimum" security prison and have an easy life. During that time he'll be able to make many long-term friends, and many other amenities that come with being in a "minimum" security prison. He won't have to worry about finding a job to pay his rent and living expenses because that's all taken care for him by the tax payer's dollar.
  
  Looking at the deeds this man has committed from a different perspective, he is a rebellious freedom fighter against the corportocracy. Instead of using weapons to hurt these mega-corporation, he was able to hurt them financially (a non-violent fashion). Even though he brought trouble to millions of credit card owner, we will all need to suffer in order to bring down these mega-corporation's who sell products regardless of the socially need for such products (producing waste), just to make money.

  19.12.2009 11:28 #10

• Clownzill

  I can believe his claim as having autism. I remember a very special episode of Life Goes On when Corky want's money to go to Six Flags. He decides to create a real estate investment scam where he shaves a percentage of pre-tax profits and hides it in a Swiss bank account. He then takes the money back out of the Swiss bank account and forges 30 year bonds to create a front for this extra profit margin. When he got caught by his mom she gave his a good talking to. He told her "I love you mommy" and they hugged. Don't worry though, he was grounded for 2 WEEKS from playing video games so he didn't get off to lightly.

  19.12.2009 11:49 #11

• cyprusrom

  Originally posted by slickwill: ...
  
  Looking at the deeds this man has committed from a different perspective, he is a rebellious freedom fighter against the corportocracy. Instead of using weapons to hurt these mega-corporation, he was able to hurt them financially (a non-violent fashion). Even though he brought trouble to millions of credit card owner, we will all need to suffer in order to bring down these mega-corporation's who sell products regardless of the socially need for such products (producing waste), just to make money.Did you rehearse that in your head before posting, at all? That is one of the most asinine comments I've heard in a long time...He is not some modern day Robin Hood that should be glorified, he is a greedy scum that didn't know how to quit when he was still ahead...But maybe you are too, and now you got yourself an idol...should write him a love letter in prison.
  "Freedom fighter"- damn!!, I am sure it sounded really cool in your head...Well, is not, is a total fail...

  19.12.2009 12:06 #12

• aldan

  Quote:Originally posted by slickwill: Looking at the situation from a different perspective, this guy has hit the jackpot. This guy will be able to spend the next 15 to 25 years of his life in a "minimum" security prison and have an easy life. During that time he'll be able to make many long-term friends, and many other amenities that come with being in a "minimum" security prison. He won't have to worry about finding a job to pay his rent and living expenses because that's all taken care for him by the tax payer's dollar.
  
  Looking at the deeds this man has committed from a different perspective, he is a rebellious freedom fighter against the corportocracy. Instead of using weapons to hurt these mega-corporation, he was able to hurt them financially (a non-violent fashion). Even though he brought trouble to millions of credit card owner, we will all need to suffer in order to bring down these mega-corporation's who sell products regardless of the socially need for such products (producing waste), just to make money.how old are you,12?you want to bring down the corporate world?you want to cripple the very system that employs us?christ almighty that has got to be the most childish,immature comment i have heard yet today.on the other hand,the day is yet young.

  19.12.2009 12:08 #13

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by slickwill: Looking at the situation from a different perspective, this guy has hit the jackpot. This guy will be able to spend the next 15 to 25 years of his life in a "minimum" security prison and have an easy life. During that time he'll be able to make many long-term friends, and many other amenities that come with being in a "minimum" security prison. He won't have to worry about finding a job to pay his rent and living expenses because that's all taken care for him by the tax payer's dollar.
  
  Looking at the deeds this man has committed from a different perspective, he is a rebellious freedom fighter against the corportocracy. Instead of using weapons to hurt these mega-corporation, he was able to hurt them financially (a non-violent fashion). Even though he brought trouble to millions of credit card owner, we will all need to suffer in order to bring down these mega-corporation's who sell products regardless of the socially need for such products (producing waste), just to make money.I can guarantee that if he had stolen your identity you would be singing a different tune. Instead of being this heroic character you make him out to be (he is not) he would be "that asshole that stole my money and destroyed my credit." (Which he is.)

  19.12.2009 12:33 #14

• scum101

  Indeed.. autism is not an excuse for being a thieving scumbag.. and that's all it is in this case.. a lame excuse by a lying toerag trying to wriggle out of the big jail time he deserves.
  

  Yes, we give you 100% free, no strings attached email! Just send us your address and we will send you as much free email as you could ever wish for

  19.12.2009 12:52 #15

• blueboy09

  Originally posted by KillerBug: Autism is not an excuse for being a skilled con man. Yep, you pretty much nailed it in the head KillerBug. My uncle has a severe form of autism, and this guys seem to be light years ahead of my uncle in terms of what he can do. No excuse at all. If that was the case, we all could cry out we had autism or schizo when we break the law. - BLUEBOY

  19.12.2009 13:43 #16

• garmoon

  me thinks slickwill works for the present administration. LOL maybe a cabinet position or POTUS hisself.

  19.12.2009 17:26 #17

• KSib

  You're certainly putting it nicer than any of us would garmoon :P

  19.12.2009 19:18 #18

• cart0181

  Rob Newhouse: Conjugal visits? Mmmm. Not that I know of. Y'know, minimum-security prison is no picnic. I have a client in there right now. He says the trick is: kick someone's ass the first day, or become someone's bitch. Then everything will be all right. W-Why do you ask, anyway?

  20.12.2009 02:35 #19

• mebjolz

  anybody else notice how much this dude looks like the Nightstalker?

  20.12.2009 05:41 #20

• mystic

  this guy is claiming mental defect as an excuse for his action very sad people all around the world suffer from issue and they dont go the way of a crook . all everyone will remmber is that he claimed to have a mental disorder... very sad and his lawyer should be dragged into the middle of the street and shot for claiming this as his issues .. very sad situation my step son his his demons but does he comite crime no he's plugging away all on his own at 19 and im damn proud of him and some as-hole makes a claim that will make people have an issue with people a condition they didnt ask for as a reason to be dishonest... what ever happened to hounor amongest theives? this guy is a dushbag I hope buba is 7' and lookin for a new boy freind where this guy is going

  20.12.2009 08:33 #21

• F4ntastic

  Hmmmm. Hmmmm indeed.
  i have a close friend (he's not my cellmate d@**it) & he has Asperger syndrome. Perhaps i should test this dude to see if he is for real or not?
  ps-to pull this off requires a very HIGH functioning person. Which is not Asperger and most of the time not Autism. nice try Gonzalez. enjoy your buttboy antics in jail hahah.

  21.12.2009 00:40 #22

• scum101

  Lets have a whip round and send him a soap on a rope for xmas... *giggles*
  

  Yes, we give you 100% free, no strings attached email! Just send us your address and we will send you as much free email as you could ever wish for

  21.12.2009 00:47 #23

• louispq

  Asperger Syndrome might make you more talented at doing something things that you really like. In is case it would be stealing from people, but he should certainly never use it to defend itself. Just the fact that he is using it to cover himself is a reason why he should get is full sentence.
  
  If this goes wrong there is a potential for people with AS to get seen in a bad in general, just because of this idiot.

  21.12.2009 08:54 #24

• kscogg

  Originally posted by cart0181: Rob Newhouse: Conjugal visits? Mmmm. Not that I know of. Y'know, minimum-security prison is no picnic. I have a client in there right now. He says the trick is: kick someone's ass the first day, or become someone's bitch. Then everything will be all right. W-Why do you ask, anyway?sweet mother of pearl an "Office Space" reference! and they did a lil corporate stealin, how appropriate.
  
  oh, to that pinhead that praised this douchebag for what he did: Do you not get that he screwed over the blue collar workers, you know, the ones that make this great country of ours go and not the corporations? stupid logic!

  21.12.2009 14:07 #25

• slvrbrd

  Originally posted by slickwill: Looking at the situation from a different perspective, this guy has hit the jackpot. This guy will be able to spend the next 15 to 25 years of his life in a "minimum" security prison and have an easy life. During that time he'll be able to make many long-term friends, and many other amenities that come with being in a "minimum" security prison. He won't have to worry about finding a job to pay his rent and living expenses because that's all taken care for him by the tax payer's dollar.
  
  Looking at the deeds this man has committed from a different perspective, he is a rebellious freedom fighter against the corportocracy. Instead of using weapons to hurt these mega-corporation, he was able to hurt them financially (a non-violent fashion). Even though he brought trouble to millions of credit card owner, we will all need to suffer in order to bring down these mega-corporation's who sell products regardless of the socially need for such products (producing waste), just to make money.Yeah that's a great idea, bring down those bastards that made the freaking computer you are using to post your stupid thoughts. Talk about producing waste...
  
  Yeah he does look like the nightstalker--what was the nightstalker's real name?

  21.12.2009 20:53 #26

• mebjolz

  Yeah he does look like the nightstalker--what was the nightstalker's real name?Richard Ramirez

  22.12.2009 00:03 #27

• slvrbrd

  oh yeah, that's right. pretty freaky, at least this guy only stole money.

  22.12.2009 00:18 #28

• mebjolz

  Aspergers appears to be a growing trend in criminal defence. Even the vocalist of The Vines (Craig Nichols) used it as an excuse to get away with kicking a photographer in the face (unprovoked)during an onstage tantrum at one of the band's gigs, and it worked. He got off lightly despite having no diagnosis prior to needing a defence...

  22.12.2009 01:32 #29

• borhan9

  I am not sure where i stand on this i still think he needs to get a punishment but maybe the form needs to alter. I'm not sure.

  22.12.2009 20:43 #30

• atomicxl

  Autism makes you commit crimes?
  
  I thought autism effected your motor skills like walking, grabbing stuff, and things like talking... not forces you to create complex hardware and software for committing millions of acts of international theft.
  
  LOL @ the guy acting like this is some saint or Robin Hood like character. Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor. This guy is robbing grandmas, college grads, people on tight budgets, people unemployed, the guy who just got laid off, etc and keeping it all for himself. That's not fighting "the man" or corporations, that's fighting everyday people struggling to make a living and provide food and shelter for their families. Methinks people don't even understand the basic story or concept of Robin Hood if they'd compare this guy to him.

  22.12.2009 22:57 #31

• cart0181

  Quote:Originally posted by cart0181: Rob Newhouse: Conjugal visits? Mmmm. Not that I know of. Y'know, minimum-security prison is no picnic. I have a client in there right now. He says the trick is: kick someone's ass the first day, or become someone's bitch. Then everything will be all right. W-Why do you ask, anyway?sweet mother of pearl an "Office Space" reference! and they did a lil corporate stealin, how appropriate.
  
  oh, to that pinhead that praised this douchebag for what he did: Do you not get that he screwed over the blue collar workers, you know, the ones that make this great country of ours go and not the corporations? stupid logic!Thanks for noticing :D

  23.12.2009 04:17 #32

• lubricant

  Originally posted by slickwill: Looking at the situation from a different perspective, this guy has hit the jackpot. This guy will be able to spend the next 15 to 25 years of his life in a "minimum" security prison and have an easy life. <--yeah prison sounds like a lot of fun.
  
  Looking at the deeds this man has committed from a different perspective, he is a rebellious freedom fighter against the corportocracy. Instead of using weapons to hurt these mega-corporation, he was able to hurt them financially <--- ever heard of liability minimization? corporations sure have, thats how they get away with poisoning the earth or pulling in great profits and still getting other people to clean up the mess or bail them out.

  26.12.2009 10:49 #33

• WierdName

  I'm almost certain this has already been said, but 15-25 years for over 170 million stolen numbers and damaged if not destroyed lives, and a pirate gets the book thrown at them... Not that the pirate deserves little punishment but what the [fill in the blank]?!

  7.1.2010 15:52 #34

• garmoon

  Actually his prison sentence should be commensurate with the time it takes for each of the 170 million who actually had to repair their credit-hour for hour. If only 1 person was compromised so be it- maybe 6 months. But if only 50 million affected-Life. And prison time will be spent repairing credit of his victims. If he manages to fix it all-let him out.

  7.1.2010 16:46 #35