A 56-year-old man in Italy is under investigation after allegedly disguising himself as his deceased 85-year-old mother in an elaborate “Mrs. Doubtfire”-style scheme to keep collecting her pension.
According to authorities, the scam lasted for roughly three years. During that time, he reportedly withdrew around roughly $60,000 in pension and benefits tied to his late mother and her late husband.
His plan collapsed when a registry-office clerk grew suspicious of the impersonation during an ID renewal request; surveillance footage and a subsequent search of the home revealed the mother’s mummified remains, triggering charges including fraud, impersonation, and concealing a corpse.