A Kentucky man who went to extraordinary lengths to dodge his child support obligations is now facing the consequences. Jesse Kipf, 39, was sentenced to six years and nine months in federal prison after he hacked into government systems to fake his own death, hoping to escape a six-figure child support debt.
Kipf's elaborate scheme began in January 2023, when he accessed Hawaii's death registry using stolen credentials from a doctor in another state. He successfully created a fraudulent death certificate, which marked him as deceased in several government databases. The goal? To wipe out over $100,000 in overdue child support payments that he owed. However, federal authorities soon discovered that Kipf was alive and living in Somerset, Kentucky.
A Kentucky man, Jesse Kipf, was sentenced to 81 months in prison for hacking into a state registry, faking his own death, and avoiding over $116K in child support. He also hacked into governmental and corporate networks selling access on the darkweb. https://t.co/4egcUMhGko
— The Record From Recorded Future News (@TheRecord_Media) August 20, 2024
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky stated that Kipf didn't just stop at faking his death. He further exploited the situation by stealing private information from various governmental and corporate networks, which he then sold on the dark web to international buyers, including individuals in Algeria, Russia, and Ukraine.
Prosecutors highlighted the sophisticated nature of Kipf’s hacking activities, noting that he infiltrated multiple state systems and attempted to profit from his ill-gotten access.
A Kentucky man who prosecutors say hacked into state death registry systems to fake his own death — in part to avoid paying more than $100,000 in child support — was sentenced on Monday to 81 months in federal prison, the authorities said.https://t.co/AALN0NXg9e
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 21, 2024
The discovery of Kipf's survival and criminal activities led to his arrest and subsequent plea agreement, in which he admitted to his actions. During the sentencing, the judge condemned Kipf’s scheme as a "cynical and destructive effort" motivated by the inexcusable goal of avoiding his child support obligations.
As part of his sentence, Kipf is required to serve at least 85% of his prison time under federal law, which equates to just over five and a half years behind bars.
In addition to the prison sentence, Kipf was ordered to pay restitution, which includes more than $195,700 to cover his outstanding child support debt and the damages he inflicted on the systems he hacked. He will also be subject to three years of supervised release once he completes his prison term.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to avoid their responsibilities. Despite his sophisticated hacking skills, Kipf's efforts ultimately failed to provide him with the escape he sought. Instead, he now faces nearly seven years in prison and significant financial penalties for his actions.
Didn’t mention any life insurance. Did he have any or did he spend it?