In this photo illustration, major US credit cards are seen in New York City 2009. Rogelio Hackett, who stole more than half a million credit card numbers used to rack up nearly $40 million in illicit debt, was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison and fined $100,000.

Rogelio Hackett, who stole more than half a million credit card numbers used to rack up nearly $40 million in illicit debt, was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison and fined $100,000.

Hackett, 25, pleaded guilty in April to trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and aggravated identity theft.

When US Secret Service agents searched his home two years ago, they discovered more than 675,000 stolen credit card numbers.

Credit card companies later identified tens of thousands of fraudulent transactions using the numbers and totaling more than $36 million.

Hackett admitted that he had been trafficking in stolen credit cards since at least 2002.

"Hacking and identity theft were a way of life for Mr Hackett," US Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said in a statement. "For years, he used the Internet to steal and sell identities to further a multi-million-dollar fraud."

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(c) 2011 AFP