An Italian man has reportedly gone to shocking lengths to fraudulently claim pension payments intended for his deceased mother.
The 57-year-old resident of Borgo Virgilio in northern Italy is accused of continuing to collect his mother’s pension payments after her death, even though he had no rightful claim to them.
Disturbingly, the man, whose identity has not been made public, is alleged to have hidden his mother’s body in his home’s basement and failed to report her death to authorities.
According to a report by Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, he used her ID card to receive the pension payments in her name. His scheme was eventually uncovered when his mother’s ID expired, preventing him from further impersonating her to collect the money.
Most individuals might have conceded defeat at this point, but this man allegedly resorted to drastic measures.
Instead of stopping, he allegedly attempted to recreate his deceased mother’s ID card to perpetuate his fraud, a case that has been sensationally labeled the ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ scandal.
Mrs Doubtfire is a 1993 comedic film featuring the late Robin Williams, who masquerades as an elderly female housekeeper to spend time with his children during a marital separation.
The Italian individual reportedly donned a wig and makeup to disguise himself as his mother in a bid to procure a new photo for the ID card.
However, staff at the office saw through his disguise and instructed him to return dressed as himself.
Upon his return the following day, police were waiting for him.
In a shocking discovery, the police reportedly found the man’s mother’s body, which he had preserved using his skills as a nurse.
Francesco Aportil, the mayor of Borgo Virgilio, confirmed that a formal investigation is now underway.
He stated: “The employee shared her doubts with us, and the local police, who were conducting their own investigation, got to work.”
Aporti noted that they realized the man wasn’t who he claimed to be because he arrived by car, even though his mother did not have a driver’s license.
“He entered the municipal offices at a slow pace,” Aporti explained.
“He was wearing a suit with a long skirt, he had lipstick on his lips, nail polish on his hands, jewelry on his neck and hands, old-style earrings, dark brown hair.”
He added: “But that neck, on closer inspection, was a little too big, and the wrinkles were also strange; the skin of the hands did not look like the one of the 85-year-old he said he was.”
Authorities are looking into the alleged crimes, and an autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of the mother’s death.
The man faces charges of concealing a corpse, forgery, impersonation, and fraud against the National Institute of Social Security (INPS).