Kentucky Man Sentenced for Faking Death to Avoid Child Support

A Kentucky resident, Jesse Kipf, 39, from Somerset, received a nine-year prison sentence for computer fraud and identity theft, after attempting to evade child support payments by faking his death, The Washington Post reported.  Authorities reported that Kipf used the credentials of a doctor to register himself as deceased in Hawaii.

In a series of actions intended to erase his obligations, Kipf accessed Hawaii's death registry in January of the previous year and completed documentation to certify his death. This fraudulent certification allowed him to be listed as deceased in several government databases. Furthermore, Kipf exploited credentials from various individuals to access state and private registries, which he then attempted to sell on the dark web.

He admitted these actions partly stemmed from his desire to avoid paying child support. After his arrest in November, Kipf pleaded guilty in April to the charges of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft. Carlton Shier, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, emphasized the criminal's intent to dodge his child support obligations, highlighting the case as an example of the critical importance of computer security.

In addition to the jail term, Kipf was ordered to pay over $195,000 in restitution — covering damages to computer systems and his unresolved child support. Court documents unveiled that Kipf, who divorced in 2008 following a brief marriage including a deployment to Iraq from 2007 to 2008, manipulated systems beyond Hawaii, compromising health records and state databases in Arizona and Vermont, along with several corporate networks. He also shared methods for accessing such systems on online forums for financial gain.

Kipf, who was on active Army duty between 2006 and 2009, reportedly faced psychological trauma from his service which had been linked to his reckless behavior. His attorney mentioned respecting the court's decision and indicated that Kipf sought relief for his misconduct through imprisonment.

This case underscores the potential damages inflicted by cybercriminals using advanced online methods and reaffirms security's critical importance. Shier noted that such actions should deter others contemplating similar crimes, ensuring Kipf contends with the consequences of his deceit.

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