ISLANDIA, An international computer hacking gang broke into the computerized cash registers electronically at the Dave and Buster's restaurant in Islandia and stole credit card information of more than 5,000 customers - starting a flood of at least $600,000 worth of fraudulent purchases around the world, federal prosecutors said yesterday.
The losses were absorbed by various credit card companies, according to court papers unsealed yesterday at the U.S. District Court in Central Islip.
The remote break-in last year at the Veterans Memorial Highway restaurant was part of an overall attack on the Dave and Buster's chain, which has 49 locations in the United States, including Farmingdale and Westbury.
It was not immediately determined if any other attacks on the Dave and Buster's chain were successful.
The gang members apparently made thousands of attacks, attempting to break into computer systems around the world, including 10 other Dave and Buster's locations nationwide, but finally struck pay dirt at the Islandia restaurant while collecting the data sporadically from May to September of last year.
Charged in the case, which was investigated by the Secret Service, were Maksym Yastremskiy of the Ukraine, Aleksandr Suvorov of Estonia, and Albert Gonzalez of Miami. Gonzalez sold the computer software - known as a packet sniffer - to the other two defendants, prosecutors said.
In an e-mail released yesterday by federal authorities, hackers congratulated each other on the break-in.
The gang then sold the credit card information to other unidentified people who made the actual purchases, officials said.
The gang stole credit card data of more than 5,000 customers, although only 675 were used to make illegal purchases. Data for the remaining customers was not known to have been used.
At the Islandia restaurant last night, many customers were unconcerned, although some said they are always careful.
"I'm always concerned about using my credit card," said George D'Amato, 49, an engineer from Oakdale.
He said six months ago somebody stole his American Express card number and charged about $700 but he didn't have to pay for it.
Liscombe Mascarenhas, 70, a Rockville Centre programmer, said he'd paid cash for his meal.
He said he downloads and reviews all of his financial information every day and checks his credit card accounts every day. "You know right away if there's a problem," he said.
A spokesman for Dave and Buster's could not be reached for comment last night.
"Computer hacking and identity theft pose serious risks to our commercial, personal and financial security," said Eastern District United States Attorney Benton Campbell in announcing the unsealing of indictments. "Hackers who reach into our country from abroad will find no refuge from the reach of U.S. criminal justice."
Yastremskiy is under arrest in Turkey on unrelated charges and the United States is attempting to extradite him, officials said. Suvorov has been detained by German authorities at the request of U.S. authorities, officials said.
Gonzalez was arrested by Secret Service agents in Miami recently, officials said.
Staff writer Susana Enriquez contributed to this story.
E-mail Robert Kessler at robert.kessler@newsday.com.