Want to buy some supercomputer time on the cheap? In August, that's just what Andrew James Miller was offering. Working from eastern Pennsylvania, he'd hacked into a number of Massachussets-based computers that, in turn, gave him access to a pair of supercomputers at California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. They were among the most powerful computers in the world — and in exchange for access, Miller wanted $50,000.
Unfortunately, his first customer was an undercover FBI agent, so Miller's entrepreneurial spirit landed him in federal court. As with earlier high-profile cases like Weev or Aaron Swartz, the main charge was computer fraud, but Miller managed to escape with a relatively small sentence thanks to an early plea deal. A fellow member of Miller's group assisted in the prosecution, according to court documents.