Man dressed up as dead mom for 6 years to collect benefits

June 17, 2009

3:03 pm

Diana Fasanella

A New York man was charged with criminal impersonation after he dressed up as his dead mother for six years to collect government benefits.

Thomas Parkin allegedly concealed the 2003 death of his mother, Irene Prusik, by giving false information for her death certificate and then collecting more than $115,000 dollars in Social Security and housing benefits using her identity.

Authorities say the 49-year-old man went so far as to perpetuate the scam by wearing a wig and dress while renewing his mother’s driver’s license earlier this year. 

The ruse began to unravel amid a dispute over the mother’s home, which was sold at foreclosure in 2003. Parkin challenged the purchase by suing the new owner on his mother’s behalf so he wouldn’t be evicted.

As the property dispute dragged out, both sides eventually contacted the district attorney to accuse each other of fraud. By the time investigators arranged a meeting with the family in May, they already had proof Prusik was dead.

The investigators played along as Parkin showed up for the interview “wearing a red cardigan, lipstick, manicured nails and breathing through an oxygen tank,” prosecutors said.

A second man, identified as Mhilton Rimolo, is accused of pretending to be Prusik’s nephew to help him during visits to collect government checks.

Parkin also was charged with grand larceny, forgery and other charges. He was set to appear in court in Brooklyn on Thursday. Both men were held on $1 million bail.

Following his arrest, Parkin told authorities that because he held his mother when she breathed her last breath, “I am my mother.”