People in the normally calm province of Mantua are still trying to make sense of an extraordinary story involving a man who allegedly pretended to be his deceased mother—all to keep collecting her pension.
What began as a routine request for an ID card ended in one of the most unsettling discoveries local authorities have encountered in years.
A Son’s Plan That Went Far Beyond Imagination
According to reports from Corriere della Sera, the 56-year-old man, an unemployed nurse, came up with a plan that seems straight out of a dark comedy: he allegedly hid his mother’s body at home and disguised himself as her to keep receiving her pension payments.
His mother, Graziella Dall’Oglio, died about three years ago at the age of 82.
Instead of reporting her death, he wrapped her body in sheets, slid it into a sleeping bag, and kept it hidden inside the house until it had fully mummified.
A Transformation Straight Out of the Movies
When the time came for him to renew her identity card earlier this month, he reportedly went to shocking lengths.
The man cut his hair to resemble hers, put on foundation, lipstick, and even slipped on a pearl necklace.
Italian media described his look as a full “Mrs. Doubtfire-style transformation,” referencing the famous Robin Williams film in which the actor disguises himself as an elderly woman.
Suspicion Sparks at a Local Government Office
Although he tried to enter the office in Borgo Virgilio acting the part of his late mother, something felt off to one staff member right away.
The “woman” had a noticeably thick neck, oddly shaped wrinkles, and hands that simply didn’t match the age he claimed.
Even the voice—though lightly affected to sound feminine—kept dropping into a masculine tone.
The employee quickly alerted both the mayor and local police, who began comparing old photographs of Ms. Dall’Oglio with the individual in front of them and immediately saw through the ruse.
An Investigation Reveals a Hidden Horror
Once the deception was confirmed, authorities went to the family home—and discovered the mummified remains of Ms. Dall’Oglio in the laundry room.
Italy’s military police later confirmed that her body had been wrapped in bed linens and sealed inside a sleeping bag. A postmortem is now underway.
Years of Payments and a Trail of Fraud
Investigators say the man had been receiving roughly £47,000 a year from his mother’s pension, along with income from three properties.
His failure to report her death—and his attempt to impersonate her—means he is now under investigation for concealing a corpse and benefit fraud.
Local Officials Left Stunned
Francesco Aporti, the mayor of Borgo Virgilio, said the entire situation felt surreal when he learned the details.
He recalled seeing the man dressed in a skirt, wearing lipstick, nail polish, and old-fashioned jewelry, yet the physical inconsistencies were difficult to ignore once pointed out.
“Up close, the hands and the neck didn’t belong to an elderly woman,” he told the newspaper.
“The whole story is very strange—and incredibly sad.”
A Community Processing an Unbelievable Case
As the investigation moves forward, residents of Mantua are left stunned by the lengths this man allegedly went to in order to keep up the deception.
Police are expected to release further details once the postmortem is complete, but for now, the case stands as one of the most bizarre and sorrowful situations the region has seen in recent memory.
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