Case of drag

[Homicidalheathen]

A New Yorker has been accused of an astonishing scam in which he dressed up like his dead mother for six years to steal $115,000 (£70,633) in benefits.

Officials say Thomas Prusik-Parkin donned a wig, heavy make-up and old-fashioned dresses and then used a cane to pretend he was his mother.

And he is even accused of roping in a relative to pretend to be a 'nephew' to help her walk and talk as she turned up for appointments.

Prusik-Parkin, 49, is accused of giving a funeral director the wrong Social Security number and date of birth for his mother Irene Prusik so that her death would not be registered in government databases.

That allegedly sparked an astonishing six-year charade in which he dressed up as an elderly woman and pretended to be her as he repeatedly collected benefits.

Prusik-Parkin was arrested on Monday and charged with grand larceny, forgery and conspiracy charges linked to a deed and mortgage fraud scheme.

'I held my mother when she was dying and breathed in her last breath, so I am my mother,' Prusik-Parkin said when he was arrested, according to detectives.

His mother, Irene Prusik, died in 2003 at age 73. After making sure her death would not be accurately recorded, Thomas began collecting $700 (£430) a month in Social Security in her name, in addition to his own disability checks, officials claim.

He is accused of posing as Irene to file for bankruptcy so 'she' would be eligible for $39,000 (£24,000) in city subsidies to help pay rent on an apartment.

To help in the ruse, Prusik-Parkin allegedly enlisted a close friend, Mhilton Rimolo, 47, to pose as Irene's nephew, help the 'ailing aunt' get around town, cash government checks and assist in property transactions.

On April 29, for example, Rimolo was with 'Irene' when she renewed a driver's licence in Coney Island.

When DA investigators showed up to interview Irene Prusik in May, they encountered an elderly 'woman' in a red dress and dark sunglasses who answered all their questions, sources said.

Rimolo, who is also being charged, was at "her" side and told investigators Irene's son couldn't speak to them because he was not home.

Prusik-Parkin was expected to be arraigned yesterday and Rimolo also faces charges for allegedly helping in the scam.

(go see the pic, it isn't a pretty sight )

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...0-benefits.html

[Rev.Reverence]

'I held my mother when she was dying and breathed in her last breath, so I am my mother,' Prusik-Parkin said when he was arrested, according to detectives.

HAHAHA!

Sounds like a faker

[Vampyrerin]

Ha ha ha. This is great.

[pomba gira]

That's actually pretty impressive... but I don't think

'I held my mother when she was dying and breathed in her last breath, so I am my mother,' Prusik-Parkin said when he was arrested, according to detectives.

is gonna impress the judge too much.

[TitsMcGee]

Did anyone else get a Norman Bates vibe? Or was it just me?

[Slogo]

I'm almost saying well-played on this one.

[dragonluv]

Creepy and sad

[Onyx]

Seems like a hell of a lot of trouble to go through for only $700 a month.

Someone commented to me once that a lot of these scammers work way harder for a little bit of cash than they would work if they just would find something honest to do.

Edited June 18, 2009 by Onyx

[TygerLili]

Did anyone else get a Norman Bates vibe? Or was it just me?

Yep!

[TitsMcGee]

Yep!

Well at least it's not just me then lol

[Head Wreck]

Blood blood, oh mother... what have you done!

[Homicidalheathen]

dress like your mother

friday's gym and sunday's grim

he sees an analyst on tuesday morning

she's no happier than him

she only likes to hear her own voice talking

oh well have you seen her face

soaked in hype and foolishness

they say when you upped and left

your parents didn't even notice

50 years to go, ooh la la

and it seems to me that you're all dead already

wifey works on style mags

thin girls with bruises in her pictures

halfway down she lost herself

i think they call it butterfingers

oh well it's a cosy place

occasional domestic flare-ups

oh well have you seen her face

she actually believes in haircuts

you sold your old punk records

read the book instead

you lost your sense of humour

but you kept the queen is dead

you don't look yourself

you dress like your mother