‘Mrs Doubtfire in Italy’: Man impersonates his dead mother and lives on her pension for years; Here’s how he was caught

New Delhi: You may have heard of thousands of cases of fraud, but today we’re going to tell you a shocking case that you won’t believe. This story is about a son who, even after his mother’s death, continued to enjoy her pension for many years, without anyone even noticing. Everyone was left shocked when the truth was revealed.

Mrs Doubtfire Scandal

A 56-year-old unemployed man in Italy has been accused of very serious crimes. He disguised himself as his deceased mother and continued to withdraw her pension for years. Italian authorities have dubbed this unique fraud the ‘Mrs. Doubtfire Scandal.’ “Mrs Doubtfire” is a famous 1993 Hollywood comedy film starring Robin Williams. In the film, he disguises himself as an elderly British maid to stay close to his children after a divorce.

Mother died in 2022

According to reports, this 56-year-old man maintained his deceased mother’s identity and collected a pension for nearly three years. He not only wore his mother’s clothes, makeup, and wig, but also spoke and walked like her, to avoid suspicion from neighbours and government officials. According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, 82-year-old Graziella Dall’Oglio died in 2022. The accused never reported his mother’s death to the authorities, nor did he inform neighbours. After her death, he wrapped her body in a sleeping bag and hid it in the laundry room.

He impersonated his mother

Meanwhile, he continued to impersonate his mother. He changed his makeup, clothes, and wig to resemble his mother, and even visited government offices to renew her identity card. Through this fraud, he was receiving approximately 61,000 euros (approximately Rs 55 lakh) annually from his mother’s pension and her three properties. The mystery was revealed when a government employee became suspicious while renewing his identity card.

How was he exposed?

The employee found the “woman’s” deep voice, thick neck, and masculine facial features strange. When he compared them with old photographs, the truth was revealed. Police were called, and a search of the house revealed his mother’s mummified body in the laundry room. Subsequently, the police arrested him. The accused now faces serious charges, including fraud, concealment of a body, and falsification of government documents.