By Isabelle Wilson-
A 39-year-old father from Kentucky, has admitted to faking his own death to dodge over $100,000 in child support payments owed to his ex-wife.
This elaborate scheme involved stealing a doctor’s identity to access Hawaii’s death registry system in January 2023, as revealed in a plea agreement filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
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Kipf’s fraudulent activity didn’t stop there. The plea agreement outlined his infiltration of multiple states’ death registry systems using stolen credentials from real individuals. This intricate web of deceit underscores the lengths to which Kipf went to shirk his financial responsibilities.
According to court documents, Kipf pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and computer fraud on March 29, 2024.
His criminal endeavors extended beyond faking his demise; he confessed to hacking into private business, governmental, and corporate networks, attempting to sell access to these networks online. The repercussions of his actions were staggering, resulting in estimated damages surpassing $195,000.
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The impact of Kipf’s deception was not limited to financial losses. His ex-wife bore a significant burden, suffering over $116,000 in losses due to his evasion of child support payments.
However, Kipf has agreed to make restitution to all parties harmed by his actions, as stipulated in the plea agreement.
Kipf’s legal troubles began when he was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023 on multiple counts of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Among the charges were allegations of illegally accessing state websites for Arizona, Hawaii, and Vermont, as well as targeting businesses such as GuestTek Interactive Entertainment Ltd and Milestone Inc.
Additionally, he faced charges of making false statements on applications for federally insured financial institutions.
Initially facing a daunting prison sentence of over 30 years, Kipf opted for a plea deal, drastically reducing his potential punishment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 12, where he faces a maximum of seven years in prison and fines up to $500,000.
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