Italian man, 56, dresses as dead mother, collects her pension for 3 years while her body's at home

A 56-year-old man in Mantua, Italy had allegedly dressed up as his own dead mother to collect her pension for around three years after she died.

According to Daily Mail, local reports indicated that the unemployed man had managed to claim around €53,000 (S$79,610) annually from 82-year-old Graziella Dall'Oglio's pension before authorities discovered his acts.

He had also allegedly hidden her dead body in their family home using a sleeping bag.

Cut his hair to match mother's hairstyle, dressed like her

The man allegedly did not report Dall'Oglio's death in 2022, and instead kept her at home wrapped in a sheet and stuffed into a sleeping bag.

He then reportedly renewed her identity card in the suburb of Borgo Virgilio after cutting his hair to match her hairstyle, wearing a long skirt, makeup and jewellery to resemble her.

Government employee became suspicious

The man's ruse was discovered in early November 2025 after a government office employee noticed that he had a "thick neck" and "masculine" voice that was also feminine.

Authorities then checked Dall'Oglio's official photographs against the man's, and confirmed that he had tricked them.

The man was later found to have allegedly received around €53,000 (S$79,610) per year from his mother's pension, and a property portfolio of three houses.

Dead mother's body found in house

After the man was caught, police raided his home and later discovered Dall'Oglio's concealed body in the laundry room.

Italy police said that his mother had likely died due to natural cases, according to a postmortem.

"The body was in a clear state of mummification," they said.

The man is currently under investigation for the alleged illegal concealment of a body and benefit fraud.

Top photos via Corriere della Sera