An Italian man from the town of Borgo Virgilio, near Mantua, is under investigation after allegedly disguising himself as his deceased mother to continue collecting her pension.
Authorities say the 56-year-old hid his mother's body at home after her death in 2022 and claimed thousands of euros in benefits.
The case came to light a few days ago when he allegedly arrived at the local council office dressed as an elderly woman to renew her ID card. A staff member, suspicious of his appearance and voice, alerted police.
Investigators compared the official photo of the woman with the man's image at the counter, then searched his home and found the body hidden in the laundry room.
Local mayor Francesco Aporti tells Corriere della Sera that the man wore lipstick, nail polish, jewellery, a wig and "shuffled in like an old woman", but his hands and neck gave him away.
According to Italian media, the man was an unemployed nurse who relied on his mother's pension in addition to income from several properties.
Italy has seen similar cases in recent years, including incidents in Verona and Puglia, where relatives concealed the bodies of deceased parents to continue receiving pension payments.