Jonathan James, a/k/a “c0mrade,” achieved fame as a teenager for hacking into NASA and the Pentagon and notoriety for becoming the first juvenile incarcerated for cybercrime in the United States. According to his family, James committed suicide in May 2008 at age 24, just weeks after Secret Service agents accused him of being part of a hacking ring that compomised TJX, DSW, OfficeMax, and other big retailers.
In a five page suicide note (redacted) provided to Wired by his family, James wrote that he was innocent, but was certain federal officials would make him a scapegoat.
Read more on Threat Level.
Related: Frontline interview with James for 2001 program, “Hackers.”