U.S. federal prosecutors have indicted 11 people for what officials say is the largest and most complex identity theft case ever charged in the United States.

US Attorney General Michael Mukasey, left, faces reporters as Michael Sullivan, attorney general for Massachusetts, right, looks on during a news conference in Boston, 5 Aug. 2008

U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said Tuesday in Boston the indictments unsealed in the cities of Boston, Massachusetts and San Diego include residents of five countries -- the United States, Estonia, Ukraine, China and Belarus.

He said the suspects are alleged to have stolen more than 40 million debit and credit card numbers that they either used personally or sold.

Federal prosecutors say the suspects hacked into the wireless computer networks of major retailers to obtain the numbers, as well as passwords and account information.

Mukasey said the case is a reminder that computer crimes are not confined within national borders.

The nationality of one suspect is unknown, as the individual is known only by an online alias.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.