In a bizarre and unsettling case out of Mantua, Italy, authorities have uncovered a story that feels almost too strange to be true.
A 56-year-old man has been accused of going to extreme lengths to claim his deceased mother’s pension, even going so far as to impersonate her in public.
The Unthinkable Plan
According to Italy’s Corriere della Sera, the man, an unemployed nurse, allegedly hid his mother’s body at home for years while collecting thousands of euros in pension money.
Graziella Dall’Oglio, his mother, passed away at the age of 82 around three years ago, but her death was never officially reported.
Instead, her son wrapped her body in sheets, stuffed it into a sleeping bag, and left it in the family home until it became mummified.
While her body remained hidden, he devised an elaborate plan to continue claiming her pension by impersonating her in public.
Transforming Into His Mother
The man reportedly underwent a full “Mrs. Doubtfire-style transformation,” dressing in his mother’s clothing, applying lipstick and foundation, and even wearing her signature pear necklace.
He cut his hair to mimic hers and added jewelry to complete the disguise.
His goal? To renew his mother’s identity card at a government office in Borgo Virgilio, a suburb of Mantua.
Authorities say he meticulously copied her appearance to fool officials and continue collecting her benefits.
Suspicion at the Government Office
However, his scheme didn’t go unnoticed. One sharp-eyed employee immediately suspected something was off.
Despite the convincing outfit, the employee noticed the man’s thick neck, unusual wrinkles, and hands that didn’t match those of an elderly woman. E
ven though he tried to speak in a feminine voice, it occasionally dropped into a masculine tone.
The employee quickly alerted both the police and the local mayor, Francesco Aporti.
Authorities compared official photographs and realized they had been deceived by the imposter.
The Gruesome Discovery
Once caught, police obtained permission to search the man’s home.
What they found was horrifying: the mummified body of Graziella Dall’Oglio hidden in the laundry room.
Mayor Aporti described the discovery as “very strange and very, very sad,” noting that the mother likely died of natural causes, though a postmortem will confirm the details.
Italy’s military police confirmed the body had been wrapped in sheets and a sleeping bag and was in a clear state of mummification. It was taken to a local hospital mortuary for examination.
Fraud and Legal Consequences
The son had been receiving an annual income of around £47,000, derived from his mother’s pension and a property portfolio of three houses.
He is now under investigation for illegally concealing a body and committing benefit fraud.
The case has shocked local residents and officials alike, illustrating the extreme lengths some individuals may go to for financial gain—and the tragic consequences that can follow.
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