Chirag Patel, a 38-year-old hacker from Virginia, has been sentenced to 51 months in prison for his involvement in stealing hundreds of credit card numbers from a Phoenix-based hotel company. Patel pleaded guilty to computer fraud in Arizona and was sentenced earlier this month.
Over a three-year period from 2017 to 2020, Patel hacked into the hotel company’s computer systems, targeting the customer loyalty program and stealing reward points. He used these points to book free hotel stays and redeem gift cards. Additionally, Patel accessed and stole over 1,200 credit card numbers from the company’s system, which he used to make fraudulent purchases.
Court records revealed that Patel utilized the stolen information to buy items such as televisions, laptops, and even a plane ticket. He also attempted to sell the stolen credit card numbers. Authorities discovered a Google Drive folder containing screenshots of personal information belonging to hotel customers, which the defendant had maintained.
Interestingly, Patel’s hacking activities began while he was already in custody for unrelated charges. Prosecutors believe that fear and desperation played a role in motivating him to engage in hacking, and he continued even after his release from custody. In a court filing, prosecutors noted that Patel started hacking in prison to fund his drug habit and continued due to pressure or threats.
As part of the sentencing, Patel was ordered to pay $87,522 in restitution.
