UK hacker admits stealing £8.7m of gaming chips

Digital chips were stolen from Farmville creator Zynga

A Devon-based hacker has admitted stealing $12m (£8.7m) of chips from US online games company Zynga.

Local newspaper The Herald Express reported that Ashley Mitchell, of Little Park Road, Paignton, accessed Zynga's internal systems, stole 400 billion digital poker chips and later sold some of the chips for £53,000.

The hearing took place at Exeter Crown Court.

Prosecutor Gareth Evans said during the hearing: "By my reckoning the total value if sold on the black market of the 400 billion was in the region of £184,000."

Mitchell faced five charges. He pleaded guilty to four counts of converting criminal property and to one charge of securing unauthorised access to a computer with the intent to commit an offence.

The judge was told that this was not the first time Mitchell had been in court.

In 2008 he was given a 40 week suspended sentence by the court for unlawfully gaining £3,498 after hacking into Torbay Council web site and altering his personal details.

Mitchell is now remanded awaiting sentencing.