Someone in Kentucky Went to Jail for Hacking Into State Computers to Fake His Death and Not Pay Child Support
A man from Somerset, Kentucky, went to jail after hacking into state death records to make it look like he had died so he wouldn’t have to pay child support.
Jesse Kipf, who is 39 years old, was given an 81-month prison term on Monday for computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Federal court documents say Kipf is accused of hacking into state systems in Hawaii, Arizona, and Vermont, as well as three private companies. These include GuestTek Interactive Entertainment, a company that offers internet access at hotels, and Milestone Inc., a marketing company.
Kipf owed his ex-girlfriend in California over $60,000 in debt in January 2023. Federal officials say Kipf got a doctor’s credentials, logged into the Hawaii Death Registry System, and made a case file for his early death.
A death certificate was then filled out by him while pretending to be the doctor, and it was sent in. This made him look dead in several government systems, according to court documents.
He also broke into private business networks and other death records, which he then sold on the dark web, according to prosecutors.
After he faked his death, he was also accused of trying to start a new life by using fake Social Security numbers to open credit cards.
It was said by the DOJ that Kipf admitted to the crimes, which he did for his satisfaction.
The US attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Carlton S. Shier IV, said, “This scheme was a cynical and destructive effort, based in part on the unacceptable goal of avoiding his child support obligations.” “This case serves as a stark reminder of how destructive computer criminals can be and how very important it is for all of us to keep our computers and the internet safe.”
“Fortunately, through the excellent work of our law enforcement partners, this case will serve as a warning to other cybercriminals, and he will face the consequences of his disgraceful conduct.”
Federal law says that Kipf has to serve 85% of his prison term. He will be on controlled release for three years after he gets out of jail.
Meanwhile, the DOJ said that Kipf owed a total of $195,759 for harming government and business computers and not paying his child support.