Editing Albert Gonzalez (section)

==Shadowcrew==
Main article: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShadowCrew ShadowCrew]While in Kearny he was accused of being the mastermind of a group of hackers called the Shadowcrew group, which trafficked in 1.5 million stolen credit and ATM card numbers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-6 [6]]</sup> Although considered the mastermind of the scheme (operating on the site under the screen name of "CumbaJohnny"), he was not indicted.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-usdoj.gov_7-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-usdoj.gov-7 [7]]</sup> According to the indictment, there were 4,000 people who registered with the Shadowcrew.com website. Once registered they could buy stolen account numbers or counterfeit documents at auction or read “Tutorials and How-To’s” describing the use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography cryptography] in magnetic strips on credit cards, debit cards, and ATM cards so that the numbers could be used.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-usdoj.gov_7-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-usdoj.gov-7 [7]]</sup> Moderators of the website punished members who did not abide by the site's rules including providing refunds to buyers if the stolen card numbers proved invalid.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-usdoj.gov_7-2">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-usdoj.gov-7 [7]]</sup>

In addition to the card numbers, numerous other objects of identity theft were sold at auction, including counterfeit passports, drivers’ licenses, Social Security cards, credit cards, debit cards, birth certificates, college student identification cards, and health insurance cards.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-usdoj.gov_7-3">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-usdoj.gov-7 [7]]</sup> One member sold 18 million e-mail accounts with associated usernames, passwords, dates of birth, and other personally identifying information. Most of those indicted were members who actually sold illicit items. Members who maintained or moderated the website itself were indicted including one who attempted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_registration register] the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.cc .cc] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name domain name] Shadowcrew.cc<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-usdoj.gov_7-4">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-usdoj.gov-7 [7]]</sup>

The Secret Service dubbed their investigation "Operation Firewall" and is believed that $4.3 million was stolen as Shadowcrew shared its information with other groups entitled Carderplanet and Darkprofits. The investigation involved units from the United States, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria Bulgaria], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus Belarus], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada Canada], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland Poland], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden Sweden], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Netherlands the Netherlands], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine Ukraine].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-8 [8]]</sup> Gonzalez was initially charged with possession of 15 fake credit and debit cards<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MiamiHerald_1-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-MiamiHerald-1 [1]]</sup> in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark,_New_Jersey Newark, New Jersey], though he avoided jail time by providing evidence to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service United States Secret Service] against his cohorts. 19 ShadowCrew members were indicted.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MiamiHerald_1-2">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-MiamiHerald-1 [1]]</sup> He then returned to Miami.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-usdoj.gov_7-5">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gonzalez#cite_note-usdoj.gov-7 [7]]</sup>