Italian Man in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Disguise Caught Taking Dead Mother’s €53K Pension

Italy :  A massive fraud scheme that has been dubbed the “Mrs. Doubtfire scandal” in the Italian press has concluded with the arrest of a 56-year-old unemployed man and the grim discovery of his deceased mother’s body.

The man, a former nurse, was taken into custody after impersonating his mother, Graziella Dall’Oglio, for three years to fraudulently collect her pension payments, amassing nearly €53,000 (approximately $94,000 AUD).

The elaborate ruse began to unravel when the man visited the Registry Office in the small northern town of Borgo Virgilio to renew his mother’s identity card. He arrived in full disguise: a 1970s-style blouse, a long skirt, a pearl necklace, old-fashioned earrings, and lipstick.

The scam has been called the “Mrs. Doubtfire scandal”, in relation to the 1993 movie where the main character masquerades as a female nanny to see his children.

Mayor Francesco Aporti told Corriere Della Sera that an alert registry employee noticed several strange inconsistencies that prompted him to contact police:

The impersonator’s neck was “a bit too thick,” his hand wrinkles were “strange,” and the skin on his hands did not look like that of an 85-year-old.

While he attempted a feminine voice, “occasionally a few masculine notes escaped.”

After comparing photos and realizing they had been fooled—and discovering the son had been filing regular tax returns in his deceased mother’s name—authorities set a trap. They contacted the son, claiming “Graziella” needed to present herself again to complete the process. When he arrived dressed as his mother, police immediately detained him.

Following the confession, police searched the mother’s home, where they made the shocking discovery of Graziella Dall’Oglio’s body. Police stated the mummified remains had been wrapped in bedsheets and a sleeping bag.

While Mayor Aporti believes she likely died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination will be conducted to confirm the official cause and time of death. The man now faces charges related to benefit fraud, impersonation, and concealing a corpse.