A woman pretended to be mute for 16 years, to receive a disability pension (2 photos)

A woman from Andalusia, Spain, who was receiving a disability pension for allegedly losing her ability to speak, was found guilty of fraud after a lengthy investigation.





The story began in 2003, when a supermarket worker was attacked by a customer. After the incident, the victim was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and loss of speech. Social Security awarded her a permanent disability pension, and the insurance company was held responsible for the payments.

Fraudulent scheme

Suspicions of dishonesty arose when insurers reviewed her file and discovered that since 2009, none of the doctors the patient had visited (ophthalmologist, orthopedist, dermatologist) had mentioned speech problems in their documents. Eventually, the insurance company initiated a re-examination, during which one of the psychiatrists expressed doubts about the veracity of her diagnosis.

To collect evidence, the company hired a private detective. The surveillance yielded stunning results - the "mute" woman freely communicated on the street, talked to other mothers near the school, and used a mobile phone without problems.



The decisive evidence was an "ambush": a detective approached a woman on the street and asked for directions to a department store. Unsuspectingly, she explained the route in perfect Spanish, unaware that she was being recorded.

In January, the Andalusian High Court found the evidence convincing and ordered the insurance company to be released from further payments. The court rejected an appeal by the fraudster, who had tried to challenge the recording as a "violation of her constitutional rights."

"The fact of simulation or, at the very least, the complete disappearance of the stated symptoms has been established," the court ruling said.

A new case has now been opened against the woman to determine the amount of the fine for illegally receiving payments over 16 years. The insurance company also plans to file an additional lawsuit demanding the return of all funds paid during this period.