A Kentucky father, Jesse Kipf, has admitted to faking his death to avoid paying his ex-wife over $100,000 in child support, leading to charges of aggravated identity theft and computer fraud. He pleaded guilty in federal court after being caught by a joint investigation involving the FBI, the Department of the Attorney General for Hawaii, and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Kipf created a fake death certificate for himself, leading to him being registered as deceased in various government databases. His motivation for committing these crimes was to evade his outstanding child support obligations to his ex-wife.
In addition to faking his death, Kipf used stolen credentials to infiltrate other states’ death registry systems and gain access to private business, government, and corporate networks. He aimed to sell sensitive information obtained through these illegal activities to other individuals online. This resulted in damages to multiple computer networks, as well as the theft of identities of numerous individuals. Kipf was charged with computer fraud related to data breaches at GuestTek Interactive Entertainment and Milestone Inc., with the damages exceeding $195,000, according to court documents.
As part of his plea deal, Kipf agreed to pay restitution amounts to various entities, including the state of Hawaii, Milestone Inc., GuestTek Interactive Entertainment, and the California child support agency. He also agreed to forfeit his electronic devices and over $16,000 in gold and silver coins. Initially facing multiple charges of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft carrying a maximum of 30 years in prison, many of these charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement. Kipf’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 12 in federal court in Frankfort, Kentucky, where he faces a maximum of five years for aggravated identity theft and a minimum of two years for computer fraud, along with a $250,000 fine.
The elaborate ruse of faking his death to avoid paying child support led to serious legal consequences for Kipf, including charges of identity theft and computer fraud. His fraudulent activities caused significant damages to various networks and individuals, prompting law enforcement agencies to investigate his cyber crimes. Through the joint efforts of the FBI, the Department of the Attorney General for Hawaii, and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Kipf was apprehended and charged accordingly. The plea agreement he entered resulted in dropping some charges while still holding him accountable for his actions.
While Kipf’s scheme involved faking his death and accessing multiple government databases, his criminal activities extended to stealing and selling sensitive information online. He targeted both private and public networks to obtain data that he could sell to other criminals. As a result, damages exceeding $195,000 were incurred, leading to charges of computer fraud and identity theft. Despite facing a substantial fine and potential prison time, Kipf agreed to pay restitution and forfeit his assets as part of the plea agreement.
In conclusion, Jesse Kipf’s attempt to evade paying child support by faking his death resulted in legal repercussions and charges of identity theft and computer fraud. The joint investigation by law enforcement agencies led to his arrest and subsequent guilty plea in federal court. While Kipf faces significant fines and potential prison time, his agreement to pay restitution and forfeit assets reflects his acknowledgement of the severity of his actions. The sentencing hearing scheduled for April 12 will determine the final legal consequences for Kipf’s elaborate scheme, which involved fraudulent activities extending beyond evading child support payments.
