Hacker arrested for stealing 400 billion zynga poker chips
Between June and September of 2009, British resident Ashley Mitchell used his backround in computer programming to hack into the systems of Zynga Game Network and steal nearly 400 billion (thats billion with a B) in facebook poker chips. Mitchell attempted to split up and store the chips in dozens of fake player accounts in order to hide them, but the sheer size of the heist alerted Zynga employees, who proceeded to set up a sting to catch the hacker.
By the time authorities arrested Mitchell, he had sold off nearly $86,000 in zynga poker chips to players. They also found out that Mitchell was the owner of a competing facebook poker application called Gambino Poker.
The judge presiding over the case said that Mitchell could face prison time because at the time of the hacking he had already received a suspended sentence for a previous incident where he hacked in to the systems of an employer of his and gave himself thousands in undeserved benefits.
