ROME (Kashmir English): Italian authorities accused a 70-year-old Vicenza resident of feigning total blindness for more than half his life and swindling more than one million euros in disability benefits.
The man began drawing benefits 53 years ago when he said he lost his sight in a workplace accident, but suspicions were raised during a recent examination by the financial police in Vicenza.
The investigator placed the man under observation and gathered video evidence challenging his assertions. The man was seen performing everyday activities on his own, including taking care of a garden using sharp tools and meticulously checking items at local markets before buying them.
Additional evidence demonstrated that the man carried out banking activities independently, a sign that he was not visually impaired.
The Vicenza prosecutor has now charged him with fraud. His disability pension was frozen, and his authorities have moved to recover the money he illegally earned.
