Original Blog Entry: Man dressed up as dead mom for 6 years to collect benefits

truesee — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:51:00 GMT

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.

LINK TO VIDEO OF PARKIN IMPERSONATING DEAD MOTHER:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06172009/news/regionalnews/brooklyn/mom_impersonator_busted_in_social_securi_174722.htm

Original Story

MOM IMPERSONATOR BUSTED IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND MORTGAGE SCAM

ADAM NICHOLS

New York Post

Last updated: 1:26 pm

June 17, 2009

Posted: 12:08 pm

June 17, 2009

Move over, Norman Bates.

A Brooklyn psycho played dress-up as part of an elaborate scam, accused of wearing a wig and nail polish to impersonate his dead mother in order to collect thousands in Social Security benefits and rent subsidies.

Over the course of six years, Thomas Prusik-Parkin, 49, fooled several government agencies using heavy makeup and a fake ID, the Brooklyn DA's office announced this morning at a news conference.

The hoax was even captured on surveillance camera and used as part of the DA's case against Prusik-Parkin, said Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes.

He was arrested Monday and will be arraigned today on grand larceny, forgery and conspiracy charges.

Hynes called the crime unparralleled in its scope and brazeness.

His mother, Irene Prusik, who lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn, died in 2003 at age 73.

The DA said a second man, identified as Mhilton Rimolo, is accused of pretending to be Prusik's nephew during visits to collect government checks.

The 47-year-old man was also caught on surveillance video walking alongside Prusik-Parkin dressed in drag.

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