Identity Theft Scheme: Culprit Pleads Guilty, Faces Up to 32 Years in Federal Prison
The Scheme Begins
The scheme began at a hot dog stand in 1988.
Decades of Deception
Over the next three decades, Matthew David Keirans would trade places with William Donald Woods, steal his identity, and send Woods down a path to spend more than 400 days in jail.
The Guilty Plea
On Monday, Keirans pleaded guilty to identity theft, admitting to using the false name in “every aspect of his life.” He now faces up to 32 years in federal prison.
A Life Stolen
Keirans, 58, used Woods’s identity to get insurance, a Social Security number, a birth certificate, driver’s licenses, credit, a fast food job, and a bank account. He even had a child whose last name is Woods.
A Victim Betrayed
In 2019, Woods discovered that someone had accumulated $130,000 in debt under his identity. When he tried to close his accounts, Keirans worked to get Woods arrested for stealing his identity. As a result, Woods spent more than a year in jail and nearly 150 days in a mental hospital.
A Scheme Uncovered
The case came to a head last year when Woods found out Keirans worked at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. After notification from the health care system, the police, with the help of DNA evidence, unraveled the scheme.
An Admission of Guilt
Initially denying his victim’s claims, Keirans eventually confessed to identity theft and providing fraudulent documents to aid in Woods’s arrest.
Legal Litigation
With Keirans facing the consequences of his actions, his attorney and Woods declined to provide further comment on the matter.
Years of Fakery
The grift started in 1990 when Keirans obtained a fraudulent Colorado ID with Woods’s name and date of birth. The deception continued as Keirans lived as Woods in multiple states, while Woods attempted to reclaim his own identity.
Going Public with Accusations
Woods reported the identity theft to various authorities when his financial situation became dire, leading to his arrest and charges of identity theft and false impersonation.
A Mental Hospital Stay
Asserting his innocence, Woods’s attorney expressed doubts about his mental competence, leading to his confinement in a mental hospital for further evaluation.
A Twisted Taboo
During the period Woods spent in jail and the subsequent mental hospital, Keirans persistently sought updates on Woods’s situation, revealing his continued involvement in the deception.
A Twisted Request
When Woods’s ordeal finally came to an end with his release in exchange for pleading no contest, Keirans attempted to evoke apprehension, complaining that Woods still posed a threat to his stolen identity.
An Unraveling Truth
Woods reported Keirans to his employer in 2023, unveiling the entire masquerade and raising concerns for his own safety.
“My Life is Over”
Faced with the overwhelming evidence, Keirans admitted to the scam, disclosing his method of acquiring Woods’s birth certificate. He now awaits sentencing and faces imprisonment and a substantial fine.
The End of the Charade
“Everything is gone,” concluded Keirans, acknowledging the disastrous consequences of his fraudulent actions that spanned over three decades.
