A Kentucky man hacked into state registries and altered official records to fake his death.
The reason behind the hack was to avoid his child support payments.
On Monday, 39-year-old Jesse Kipf was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after striking a plea deal in which he admitted his actions. Court records show that Kipf divorced in 2008, following a nearly year-long deployment to Iraq between 2007 and 2008.
“Kipf admitted that he faked his own death, in part, to avoid his outstanding child support obligations,” prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Kipf had stolen a doctor’s credentials from another state to access Hawaii’s death registry system, where he created and certified his own death certificate. After successfully registering his own death with the government, Kipf obtained a fake Social Security number, allowing him to continue living under a new identity.
But his hacking activities extended beyond Hawaii’s database, prosecutors said. He also breached networks in Arizona and Vermont, as well as systems belonging to two major hotel chain vendors, all between June 2022 and June 2023.
Kipf stole the identities of three individuals to commit wire fraud and computer fraud, selling sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, medical records, and birth dates. Additionally, Kipf shared methods on internet forums for accessing state death registry systems and private business networks, offering this information for payment.
The court ordered Kipf to pay over $195,700 in child support debt and compensation for the damages he caused to government and corporate computer systems.
“This case is a stark reminder of how damaging criminals with computers can be, and how critically important computer and online security is to us all,” said US attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky Carlton Shier IV.
“[T]his defendant who hacked a variety of computer systems and maliciously stole the identity of others for his own personal gain, will now pay the price. Victims of identity theft face lifelong impact and for that reason, the FBI will pursue anyone foolish enough to engage in this cowardly behavior,” said Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office.