70-year-old Italian faked blindness for over 50 years and collected over €1M in benefits

A 70-year-old man in Italy pretended to be blind for more than 50 years and received over €1 million in disability benefits, local newspaper L’Unione Sarda reports.

As noted, authorities discovered the fraud when the financial police began cross-checking social benefit recipients with tax records.

After two months of surveillance, it was revealed that the man had been taking care of plants, tending his garden, and shopping for fruit at the market, carefully paying in cash from his wallet.