Facepalm: A federal court docket has sentenced a deadbeat dad to 81 months in jail for hacking authorities programs to pretend his dying. A grand jury indicted the person in July 2023 on a number of expenses of pc fraud, aggravated identification theft, and financial institution fraud. He admitted to accessing authorities programs and registering a fraudulent dying certificates to keep away from paying his again little one help.
The US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Japanese District of Kentucky prosecuted Somerset resident Jesse Kipf for cybercrimes focusing on personal and governmental networks. It started when he manipulated dying data in Hawaii’s dying registry system, falsely itemizing himself as deceased utilizing a cast digital signature to evade paying little one help. He additionally bought entry to those networks on the darkish net. The US Legal professional stated Kipf’s crimes resulted in practically $200,000 in damages, disrupted crucial operations, and compromised private data.
“This scheme was a cynical and damaging effort, primarily based partly on the inexcusable aim of avoiding his little one help obligations,” stated United States Legal professional Carlton S. Shier, IV. “Happily, by the superb work of our legislation enforcement companions, this case will function a warning to different cyber criminals, and he’ll face the results of his disgraceful conduct.”
An FBI investigation revealed that Kipf accessed and tried to promote knowledge from networks that included a personal firm and a state authorities registry. Kipf deliberate to make use of the stolen knowledge, which included private identification data, for additional identification theft and fraud. His scheme’s magnitude and class indicated he has vital technical expertise.
Authorities additionally charged Kipf with aggravated identification theft, which carries extreme penalties due to the far-reaching penalties for victims. The indictment moreover alleged that Kipf tried to make use of the stolen identities to fill out a number of financial institution mortgage functions. In accordance with a US Legal professional’s Workplace press launch, his actions posed vital dangers to particular person victims and the integrity of economic and governmental networks.
“Working in collaboration with our legislation enforcement companions, this defendant who hacked a wide range of pc programs and maliciously stole the identification of others for his personal private achieve, will now pay the value,” stated FBI Particular Agent in Cost Michael E. Stansbury for the Louisville Area Workplace. “Victims of identification theft face lifelong affect and for that purpose, the FBI will pursue anybody silly sufficient to interact on this cowardly habits.”
The court docket sentenced Kipf to 81 months in federal jail, including that he should full at the very least 85 % of his time earlier than turning into eligible for launch. Following his incarceration, Kipf faces three years of intently supervised parole. His penalties may have been a lot greater had he not copped a plea.
Assistant US Legal professional Kate Ok. Smith reiterated her workplace’s dedication to pursuing justice in cybercrime and identification theft instances, highlighting the significance of safeguarding digital and private data in an more and more interconnected world.
