A 56-year-old Italian man is currently under investigation for an extraordinary case of alleged fraud, deception, and the shocking concealment of his mother’s death.
Authorities claim the man continued to collect thousands in state pension payments for over a year following the death of his 82-year-old mother, Graziella Dall’Oglio, in 2022.
The case, which has stunned the small northern Italian community of Borgo Virgilio near Mantua, has brought renewed attention to the issue of pension fraud involving deceased relatives.
Instead of reporting his mother’s passing, the man, identified as an unemployed nurse, is accused of taking drastic measures to hide her death.
He allegedly wrapped Graziella’s body in a bedsheet and stuffed it into a sleeping bag, the decaying corpse was then hidden in the laundry room of his house.
The body was concealed for so long that, according to reports by Corriere della Sera, it eventually became mummified.
While maintaining the illusion that his mother was still alive, the man was reportedly living off her income. Over the year, he is thought to have collected around ÂŁ46,500 (approximately KSh 7.9 million) in pension payments and income from three properties.
The alleged scheme unravelled when the man attempted to renew his late mother’s expired identity card at the local council office.
He arrived at the office in a highly elaborate, yet ultimately unconvincing, disguise. He was dressed as “an old woman,” complete with a wig, makeup, and jewellery, and even attempted to mimic a feminine voice.
Francesco Aporti, the mayor of Borgo Virgilio, described the bizarre scene:
“He wore lipstick, nail polish, jewellery, and old-fashioned earrings, and had a dark brown bob of hair… but occasionally a few masculine notes slipped out.”
A vigilant staff member grew suspicious of the man’s appearance, noting his “a bit too thick” neck and “strange” wrinkles. The skin on his hands also seemed too young for an 85-year-old woman. These concerns prompted authorities to compare the impersonator with an official photograph of the deceased Graziella.
Following the arrest and initial questioning, police officers searched the man’s home. It was during this search that they made the grim discovery of the mummified body in the laundry room, confirming the fraud and the tragic concealment of Graziella Dall’Oglio’s death.
The unsettling case highlights a recurring issue in Italy. In a similar instance in 2023, a man in Verona was found to have kept his mother’s body at home for five years to continue claiming her government benefits.
As investigations continue, the community of Borgo Virgilio is left grappling with the shocking details of the alleged deception and the desperation that drove the man’s actions.
