According to The Guardian, the man did not report his mother’s death in 2022. Instead, he concealed her body in the laundry room of his house. Over the years, he continued to receive her pension payments. Investigators say that, thanks to her pension and ownership of three properties, he amassed an income of about €53,000 per year.

The ruse unravelled earlier this month, when he visited the local registry office in Borgo Virgilio to renew his mother’s identity card. Posing as her in a long skirt, lipstick, nail polish, vintage earrings and a dark wig, he raised suspicion among staff. Officials noted his neck was “a bit too thick,” his wrinkles seemed unnatural, and the skin on his hands did not match that of an elderly woman. The Guardian further details that the mayor of Borgo Virgilio, Francesco Aporti, told Corriere della Sera that though the man attempted a feminine voice, “occasionally a few masculine notes slipped out.”

When authorities compared his appearance with the mother’s official photographs, they confirmed the deception. Police then searched his home and discovered the woman’s mummified corpse stashed in a laundry room.

Mayor Aporti described the case as “very, very sad,” telling Corriere della Sera that the man had shuffled into the council offices dressed as “an old woman.” He now faces investigation for benefit fraud, identity impersonation, and concealing a body.