Odd News

Couple busted for faking illness

Published: Nov. 12, 2012 at 4:30 PM

RAGUSA, Italy, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Authorities in Italy said a couple in their 60s were arrested for allegedly faking illness and blindness to collect nine years worth of disability benefits.

Finance police said the Ragusa couple, a 60-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man, collected more than $230,000 in disability benefits in nine years by claiming they had both been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Monday.

The couple claimed the disease left the wife completely blind and the husband unable to walk.

However, police said they filmed the couple living a "normal" life, including going on a shopping trip where the man was seen walking and the woman was seen checking her appearance in mirrors.

The man and woman were each charged with aggravated fraud.

© 2012 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

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