Ex-Barclays technology programmer jailed for data theft

A former Barclays IT programmer has been imprisoned for 46 months for his part in a number of data thefts including the security breach at US retailer TJX.

Albert Gonzalez

Humza Zaman was sentenced by a court in Boston, ordered to pay a $75,000 fine and faces three years supervision following his release.

The 33 year-old is thought to have assisted Albert Gonzalez, the head of the criminal gang responsible for the TJX hacker attacks, in laundering up to $800,000.

He is alleged to have received approximately ten per cent of the stolen funds as reward for his role in the crimes, Computer World reported.

Prosecutors were quoted by the news provider as saying that the former Barclays employee "incontrovertibly knew that Gonzalez was a major hacker who profited handsomely from identity theft from major corporations".

The court papers state that Mr Haman travelled to New York to pick up money from an unidentified third party before sending it to the hacker under a false name.

He is also alleged to have used cards to withdraw money from fictitious bank accounts, then sent the money on to his criminal boss.

Gonzalez stands accused of stealing the details of more than 130 million credit cards over a six-year period starting in 2003.