www.justice.gov Open in urlscan Pro
2a02:26f0:1700:1b2::1dae  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

GET https://search.justice.gov/search

<form class="usa-search usa-search--small" role="search" accept-charset="UTF-8" action="https://search.justice.gov/search" id="search_form" method="get" data-once="form-updated" data-drupal-form-fields="affiliate,search-field-en-small-desktop">
  <label class="usa-sr-only" for="search-field-en-small-desktop">Search</label>
  <div>
    <input name="utf8" type="hidden" value="✓">
  </div>
  <input id="affiliate" name="affiliate" type="hidden" value="justice-usao-kye">
  <input class="usa-input" autocomplete="off" id="search-field-en-small-desktop" name="query" type="search" placeholder="Search">
  <button class="usa-button" type="submit">
    <img src="/themes/custom/usdoj_uswds/images/doj-icon-header-search.svg" class="usa-search__submit-icon width-3" alt="Search">
  </button>
</form>

GET https://search.justice.gov/search

<form class="usa-search usa-search--mobile" role="search" accept-charset="UTF-8" action="https://search.justice.gov/search" method="get" data-once="form-updated" data-drupal-form-fields="affiliate-mobile,search-field-en-small">
  <div class="width-full padding-2">
    <label class="usa-sr-only" for="search-field-en-small"> Search </label>
    <input id="affiliate-mobile" name="affiliate" type="hidden" value="justice-usao-kye">
    <input class="usa-input" id="search-field-en-small" type="search" name="query" placeholder="Search">
    <button class="usa-button" type="submit">
      <img src="/themes/custom/usdoj_uswds/images/doj-icon-header-search.svg" alt="Search">
    </button>
  </div>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main content


An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United
States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

DOJ Menu
U.S. Department of Justice
 * About
   * The Attorney General
   * Organizational Chart
   * Budget & Performance
   * History
   * Privacy Program
 * Our Work
 * News
   * Press Releases
   * Speeches
   * Videos
   * Photo Galleries
   * Blogs
   * Podcasts
 * Resources
   * Guidance Documents
   * Forms
   * Publications
   * Information for Victims in Large Cases
   * Justice Manual
   * Business and Contracts
 * Grants
 * Employment
   * Why Justice ?
   * Benefits
   * DOJ Vacancies
   * Legal Careers at DOJ

 * About EDKY
 * Find Help
 * Contact Us


UTILITIES

 * About EDKY
 * Find Help
 * Contact Us

Search

Menu Close
 * About
   About
   About the Office's Mission
   About the Office's History
   About the District
 * News
   News
   Image Gallery
   Public Service Announcements
 * Meet the U.S. Attorney
 * Divisions
   Divisions
   Administrative Division
   Appellate Division
   Civil Division
   Criminal Division
   Fraud Division
 * Programs
   Programs
   Civil Rights
   Corporate Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policies
   Drug Abuse
   Elder Justice Task Force
   Environmental Justice
   HEAT
   Law Enforcement Coordination
   Project Safe Childhood
   Project Safe Neighborhoods
   Victim Witness Assistance
 * Jobs
   Jobs
   Equal Employment Opportunity Policies
 * Contact Us

 * About EDKY
 * Find Help
 * Contact Us

Main Menu
U.S. Department of Justice

 * Justice.gov Home
 * About
   * title="About" About
   * The Attorney General
   * Organizational Chart
   * Budget & Performance
   * History
   * Privacy Program
 * Our Work
 * News
   * title="News" News
   * Press Releases
   * Speeches
   * Videos
   * Photo Galleries
   * Blogs
   * Podcasts
 * Resources
   * title="Guidance & Resources" Resources
   * Guidance Documents
   * Forms
   * Publications
   * Information for Victims in Large Cases
   * Justice Manual
   * Business and Contracts
 * Grants
 * Employment
   * Employment
   * Why Justice ?
   * Benefits
   * DOJ Vacancies
   * Legal Careers at DOJ

 * About EDKY
 * Find Help
 * Contact Us

Search


BREADCRUMB

 1. Justice.gov
 2. U.S. Attorneys
 3. Eastern District of Kentucky
 4. Press Releases
 5. Pulaski County Man Sentenced for Cyber Intrusion and Aggravated Identity
    Theft


Press Release


PULASKI COUNTY MAN SENTENCED FOR CYBER INTRUSION AND AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Share
 * FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically
   appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the
   Department of Justice website when you click the link.
 * XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear
   with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department
   of Justice website when you click the link.
 * LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically
   appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the
   Department of Justice website when you click the link.
 * Email

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Kentucky
The Defendant committed cyber intrusions, by hacking into state death registry
systems to fake his own death to avoid paying his child support obligations. He
also hacked into private businesses and attempted to sell access to networks on
the dark web

LONDON, Ky. – A Somerset, Ky., man, Jesse Kipf, 39, was sentenced to 81 months
on Monday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for computer fraud and aggravated
identity theft.

According to his plea agreement, Kipf intentionally accessed a computer without
authorization and then obtained information from a protected computer for his
own private gain and in furtherance of identity theft.  Specifically, in January
2023, Kipf accessed the Hawaii Death Registry System, using the username and
password of a physician living in another state, and created a “case” for his
own death.  Kipf then completed a State of Hawaii Death Certificate Worksheet,
assigned himself as the medical certifier for the case and certified his death,
using the digital signature of the doctor.  This resulted in Kipf being
registered as a deceased person in many government databases.  Kipf admitted
that he faked his own death, in part, to avoid his outstanding child support
obligations.

Kipf also infiltrated other states’ death registry systems, private business
networks, and governmental and corporate networks using credentials he stole
from real people.  He then tried to sell access to these networks to potential
buyers on the dark net, an overlay network within the internet that can only be
accessed with specific software, configurations, or authorization and is
commonly associated with the sale of illicit goods and services.

“This scheme was a cynical and destructive effort, based in part on the
inexcusable goal of avoiding his child support obligations,” said Carlton S.
Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  “This
case is a stark reminder of how damaging criminals with computers can be, and
how critically important computer and online security is to us all. 
Fortunately, through the excellent work of our law enforcement partners, this
case will serve as a warning to other cyber criminals, and he will face the
consequences of his disgraceful conduct.”

“Working in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, this defendant who
hacked a variety of computer systems and maliciously stole the identity of
others for his own personal gain, will now pay the price,” said Michael E.
Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “Victims of
identity theft face lifelong impact and for that reason, the FBI will pursue
anyone foolish enough to engage in this cowardly behavior.”

Under federal law, Kipf must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon his
release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation
Office for three years.  The damage to governmental and corporate computer
systems and his failure to pay his child support obligations amounted to a total
of $195,758.65.

United States Attorney Shier and Special Agent in Charge Stansbury; Russell
Coleman, Attorney General of Kentucky; Anna E. Lopez, Attorney General for
Hawaii; and Sheriff Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sherriff’s Office, jointly
announced the sentence.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI Louisville,
Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Department of the Attorney General for
Hawaii, and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate
Dieruf prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

   

— END —

Contact

CONTACT:  Gabrielle Dudgeon

PHONE:  (859) 685-4887

E-MAIL:  gabrielle.dudgeon@usdoj.gov

 

Updated August 21, 2024

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Topics
Cybercrime
Identity Theft
Component
USAO - Kentucky, Eastern


RELATED CONTENT

Press Release
Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Illegally Acquire Codeine and Identity Theft
August 16, 2024
Press Release
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Money Laundering and Identity Theft in Scheme
Linked to City of Lexington
August 6, 2024
Press Release
Mexican National Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Identity Theft
April 16, 2024

 * Eastern District of Kentucky
   Main Office:
   260 W. Vine Street, Suite 300
   Lexington, KY 40507-1612

 * Lexington: 859-233-2661
   Lexington Hearing Impaired TTY: 859-233-2573
   
    

 * Stay Connected
   
    * twitter
    * facebook
    * youtube
    * linkedin

 * About
 * Archives
 * FOIA
   

 * Accessibility
 * Legal Policies & Disclaimers
 * Privacy
 * For Employees

 * Office of the Inspector General
 * No FEAR Act Data
 * Vulnerability Disclosure

 * Español
 * Vote.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically
   appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the
   Department of Justice website when you click the link.
   

Have a question about Government Services?

 * Contact USA.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will
   typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are
   leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.

Top