List of computer criminals


Convicted computer criminals are people who are caught and convicted of computer crimes such as breaking into computers or computer networks. Computer crime can be broadly defined as criminal activity involving information technology infrastructure, including illegal access, illegal interception, data interference, systems interference, misuse of devices, forgery and electronic fraud.
In the infancy of the hacker subculture and the computer underground, criminal convictions were rare because there was an informal code of ethics that was followed by white hat hackers. Proponents of hacking claim to be motivated by artistic and political ends, but are often unconcerned about the use of criminal means to achieve them. White hat hackers break past computer security for non-malicious reasons and do no damage, akin to breaking into a house and looking around. They enjoy learning and working with computer systems, and by this experience gain a deeper understanding of electronic security. As the computer industry matured, individuals with malicious intentions would emerge to exploit computer systems for their own personal profit.
Convictions of computer crimes, or hacking, began as early as 1984 with the case of The 414s from the 414 area code in Milwaukee. In that case, six teenagers broke into a number of high-profile computer systems, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Security Pacific Bank. On May 1, 1984, one of the 414s, Gerald Wondra, was sentenced to two years of probation.
In 2006, a prison term of nearly five years was handed down to Jeanson James Ancheta, who created hundreds of zombie computers to do his bidding via giant bot networks or botnets. He then sold the botnets to the highest bidder who in turn used them for Denial-of-service attacks.
, the longest sentence for computer crimes is that of Albert Gonzalez for 20 years. The next longest sentences are those of 13 years for Max Butler, 108 months for Brian Salcedo in 2004 and upheld in 2006 by the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and 68 months for Kevin Mitnick in 1999.

Computer criminals

NameHandleNationalityConvictionSentencing datePenalty
Phiber OptikUnited StatesMisdemeanor theft-of-service for a free-call scam to a 900 number199135 hours of community service
Phiber OptikUnited StatesOne count of computer trespass and one count of computer conspiracy1993One-year jail sentence
GoboUnited StatesPleaded guilty to four federal charges of violating United States Code Section 1030, Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers, specifically subsections, 1030 and 10308 May 200657 months in prison, forfeit a 1993 BMW and more than US$58,000 in profit
Restitution of US$15,000 to the U.S. federal government for infecting military computers
Mendax / profffAustralia31 charges of hacking and related charges. Pleaded guilty to 25 charges, the remaining 6 were dropped.5 December 1996A recorded conviction on all counts, a reparation payment of A$2,100 to ANU and a A$5,000 good-behaviour bond.
WeevUnited States On November 20, 2012, was found guilty of one count of identity fraud and one count of conspiracy to access a computer without authorization.20 November 2012Auernheimer was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $73,000 in restitution.
Hamza BendelladjBx1AlgerianPleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire and bank fraud, 10 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, and 11 counts of computer fraud and abuse
He is a co-creator of Trojan horse SpyEye. He stole from 217 American banks in total stealing $400 million and is alleged to have donated all the money to Africa and Palestine, though Trial documents did not mention any donations or charity activities. Despite much false information on the internet Bendelladj did not get sentenced to death, and claims saying he donated any money to charity is almost impossible to verify. The SpyEye software was also sold to other hackers and used as part of a botnet.		23 April 201615 years jail sentence
—United StatesConspiracy to steal credit card numbers from the Lowe's chain of home improvement stores16 December 2004Two years and two months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release
MafiaBoyCanadaPleaded guilty to 56 charges of "mischief to data"12 September 2001Eight months "open custody", by the Montreal Youth Court, one year of probation, restricted use of the Internet and a small fine
Terri DiSistoUnited StatesFound guilty of email bombings which caused service outages at a number of colleges and universities; victims were young males from whom he solicited tickling videos who had stopped co-operating with his requests2001Fined $5,000 and sentenced to six months in federal prison
PhoenixAustralia15 charges including trespassing on the University of Texas computer network, altering data at NASA and the theft of the ZARDOZ file1993One-year suspended sentence: A$1,000 good-behaviour bond and 500 hours community service
CuradorUnited KingdomPleaded guilty to theft and hacking offenses which fall under the Computer Misuse Act and six charges of intentionally accessing sites containing credit card details and using this information for financial gain6 July 2001Three years of psychiatric treatment after evidence emerged that he was suffering from a mental condition which needed medical treatment rather than incarceration
MagicFXUnited StatesAdmitted the hacking and pleaded guilty to two felonies in 2004.2004Sentenced to Time Served after spending 7 months in prison.
c0mradeUnited StatesTwo counts of juvenile delinquency21 September 2000Six-month prison sentence and probation until the age of eighteen
ElectronAustraliaTrespassing on the University of Texas computer network and theft of the ZARDOZ file1993One year and six months suspended sentence, 300 hours of community service and psychiatric assessment and treatment
samyUnited StatesPleaded guilty to violating California Penal Code 502 for creating the "Samy is my hero" XSS worm that spread across the MySpace social networking site2007Three years of formal probation, 90 days of community service, restitution paid to MySpace, restrictions on computer use
cam0United StatesPleaded guilty to hacking into the cell-phone account of celebrity Paris Hilton and participated in an attack on data-collection firm LexisNexis Group that exposed personal records of more than 300,000 consumers13 September 200511 months in a Massachusetts juvenile detention facility
—United StatesOne-count of computer crimes against Microsoft, LexisNexis and The New York Times15 July 2004Six months detention at his parent's home plus two years probation and roughly US$65,000 in restitution
sl1nkUnited KingdomPleaded guilty to five counts of "unauthorised acts with intent to impair operation of or prevent/hinder access to a computer", two of "unauthorised computer access with intent to commit other offences", one of "unauthorised computer access with intent to commit other offences", and one of "unauthorised access to computer material".
Hacking attempt on the websites of Kent Police, Cambridge University and Oxford University. Former member of NullCrew and said to have penetrated the servers of Department of Defense, Pentagon, NASA, NSA, other UK government websites.		16 May 2013Two years imprisonment
SoloUnited KingdomAccused in 2002 of perpetrating the "biggest military computer hack of all time," although McKinnon himself states that he was merely looking for evidence of free energy suppression and a cover-up of UFO activity and other technologies potentially useful to the public.2002On 16 October 2012, after a series of legal proceedings in Britain, Home Secretary Theresa May withdrew her extradition order to the United States.
CondorUnited StatesFour counts of wire fraud, two counts of computer fraud and one count of illegally intercepting a wire communication9 August 199946 months in federal prison and US$4,125 in restitution
CoolioUnited StatesMisdemeanor charges of hacking9 March 2001Nine months in jail and US$5,000 in restitution to each victim
rtmUnited StatesIntentional access of federal interest computers without authorization thereby preventing authorized access and causing a loss in excess of US$1,0007 March 1991Three years probation and 400 hours of community service in a manner determined by the Probation Office and approved by the Court
T33kidUnited StatesPleaded guilty on August 11, 2004 to one count of intentionally causing or attempting to cause damage to a protected computer via his version of the Blaster computer worm28 January 200518 months in prison and 100 hours of community service
The Black BaronUnited KingdomWriting and distributing computer viruses199518 months in prison
Dark DanteUnited StatesPleaded guilty to seven counts of mail, wire and computer fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice10 April 199551 months in prison and ordered to pay US$56,000 in restitution
TerminusUnited StatesIllicit use of proprietary software owned by AT&T and 2 counts of computer fraud and three counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.12 June 1991One-year jail sentence
Track2RussianConvicted of 38 counts involving unauthorized access of business information systems and stealing over two million credit card numbers. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.August 2016 and September 2017Sentenced to 27 years' imprisonment for the 2016 conviction, concurrent with sentence of 14 years for the second set of charges.
KwyjiboUnited StatesPleaded guilty to knowingly spreading a computer virus, the Melissa virus, with the intent to cause damage1 May 200220 months in federal prison, US$5,000 fine and 100 hours of community service upon release
—RussiaAccused of using Zeus Trojan horse to attack thousands of bank accounts and opened at least five accounts in Bank of America and Wachovia. It is estimated that with nine other people Svechinskaya had skimmed $3 million in total.24 June 2013Signed a personal recognizance bond and was released under $25,000 bail. Ordered to pay $35,000 in damages.
AnalyzerIsraelAdmitted to cracking US and Israeli computers, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wrongful infiltration of computerized material, disruption of computer use and destroying evidence15 June 2001Six months of community service, one year of probation, a two-year suspended prison sentence and fined about US$18,000
GigabyteBelgiumWrote the Coconut-A, Sahay-A, and Sharp-A computer viruses. Charged and arrested for computer data sabotage against internet security firm Sophos.16 February 2004Released within 24 hours on bail due to being a minor.
OnTheFlyNetherlandsSpreading data into a computer network with the intention of causing damage as the creator of the Anna Kournikova virus27 September 2001150 hours community service
The 414sUnited StatesUnauthorized access to computers at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and a Los Angeles bank and two counts of "making harassing telephone calls"1 May 1983Two years probation