Shadowcrew Cofounder Sentenced

A federal judge has sentenced one of the cofounders of the Shadowcrew Web site to 32 months in prison for his role in the scheme that traded in stolen personal information, including credit card numbers. Andrew Mantovani pleaded guilty in November 2005 and, in a statement at his sentencing, apologized for the damage caused by Shadowcrew. Prosecutors said the theft ring trafficked in millions of credit card numbers and user information for 18 million e-mail accounts. Losses from the activities were estimated at about $4 million. When authorities cracked down on Shadowcrew, 21 people were arrested, 18 of whom have since pleaded guilty to a range of charges. Mantovani’s sentence was the longest handed down so far in the affair. Still, his attorney was pleased that the judge did not impose a stiffer penalty.

ABC News, 29 June 2006