U.S. coppers have fingered the collars of 11 people in connection with the hacking of nine major retailers. The 11 stole and flogged more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers, prosecutors say.

In what is believed to be the largest hacking and identity theft case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, the 11 face charges include conspiracy, computer intrusion, fraud and identity theft. It is claimed that the hackers got into into the wireless computer networks of retailers including TJX Cos, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21 and DSW.

They then installed software to capture card numbers, passwords and account information, and then concealed the data in computer servers that they controlled in the U.S. and Eastern Europe. The numbers of people who would have lost their data to the hackers has been set at between 40 and 100 million people.

Three of the defendants are U.S. citizens, one is from Estonia, three are from Ukraine, two are from China and one is from Belarus. One individual is only known by an alias online, and his place of origin is unknown.

Albert "Segvec" Gonzales of Miami, has been named as the ringleader. He could get life in prison if he is convicted of all the charges.