How an Italian Man Disguised Himself as His Late Mother to Continue Receiving Her Pension

An Italian man has been arrested after allegedly disguising himself as his late mother to continue collecting her state pension. The 57-year-old, a former nurse from Mantua, reportedly never reported the death of his mother, Graziella Dall’Oglio, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 82.

Authorities say that when her identity card expired, he wore a wig, makeup, and her clothing to attend the mandatory in-person renewal. Suspicion arose when a municipal officer noticed unusual dark hair on the “elderly woman’s” neck, chin, and hands, prompting police intervention. Surveillance footage later showed the man driving to the appointment in disguise, despite his mother never having held a driver’s license.

Police arrested him at the municipal office and, during a search of the family home, discovered Dall’Oglio’s mummified body in a closet, wrapped in sleeping bags. Investigators allege that the man used a syringe to remove bodily fluids in an attempt to slow decomposition. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death.

The suspect now faces charges including concealing a corpse, fraud against the state, impersonation, and forging a public document. He is being held in a local jail while prosecutors await the autopsy results. Italian authorities note that pension fraud is an ongoing issue, often enabled by delays between local death registries and national pension offices, which can allow payments to continue unless a death is reported.