CRIME
#ICYMI: Macabre Pension Scam Uncovered in Northern Italy as Man Allegedly Disguises Himself as Dead Mother for Years to Claim Benefits
An Italian man is under investigation for benefit fraud and concealing a corpse after allegedly dressing up as his dead mother in an elaborate scheme to continue claiming her pension, authorities have revealed.
The suspect, a 56-year-old man from Borgo Virgilio, near the northern Italian city of Mantua, is accused of fraudulently collecting thousands of euros in pension payments following his mother’s death in 2022. Investigators allege that instead of officially reporting her death, the man hid her body inside his home while continuing to receive her benefits.
The disturbing case only came to light earlier this month when the man allegedly attempted to renew his late mother’s identity card at the local council office.
According to reports, he appeared in disguise, wearing a wig styled to resemble her hair, along with makeup, jewellery and women’s clothing. A vigilant council staff member reportedly became suspicious and alerted the authorities.
Police were called in and subsequently compared an official photograph of the deceased woman with the individual who had appeared at the council office. The striking inconsistencies prompted officers to carry out a search of the man’s residence. During the inspection, investigators said they discovered the woman’s body hidden in the laundry room of the house.
Francesco Aporti, the mayor of Borgo Virgilio, recounted the unusual encounter at the council office in an interview with Corriere della Sera. He said the man had shuffled in dressed as “an old woman”. “He wore lipstick, nail polish, jewellery and old-fashioned earrings, and had a dark brown bob of hair,” the mayor said.
According to Aporti, the suspect also attempted to imitate a female voice during the interaction, “but occasionally a few masculine notes slipped out”.
The disguise further raised alarm when staff took a closer look. The mayor explained that the man’s neck “was a bit too thick and even the wrinkles were strange”.
He added: “The skin on his hands did not seem to be that of an 85-year-old woman.”
Italian newspaper Corriere reported that the suspect is an unemployed nurse who, by allegedly combining his mother’s pension with income from three properties, had an annual income of about €53,000 (£46,500).
Authorities say the man is now facing serious charges, including fraud and the unlawful concealment of a body, as investigations continue.
The case has shocked the local community but is not without precedent in Italy.
In 2023, police in Verona uncovered a similar scheme in which a man had allegedly kept his mother’s body in his home for five years while continuing to collect her pension. That same year, another case emerged in a town in Puglia, where a son reportedly concealed his father’s body at home for a decade to fraudulently claim benefits.
Italian authorities say such cases, while rare, highlight ongoing challenges in monitoring pension systems and underscore the importance of vigilance by public officials in pr
eventing long-term fraud.