Thomas Prusik-Parkin: Parkin Dressed as Dead Mother for 6 Years - Man who dressed like dead mom for benefits guilty of fraud, Thomas Prusik-Parkin is facing up to 83 years in prison for a scam that involved dressing like his dead mother for several years so he could steal more than $100,000 in government benefits meant for her.
Prusik-Parkin declined a plea deal that would have freed him and instead fought the charges in court, only to lose and now face a possible long sentence.
Man who dressed up like his dead mother for six years to steal $115,000 in benefits convicted of fraud, A man who impersonated his dead mother as part of a real estate scam -- using lipstick, manicured nails and even an oxygen tank at a meeting -- was convicted of fraud on Thursday and faces up to 83 years in prison, prosecutors said.
Thomas Parkin, 51, was found guilty of 11 criminal counts, including charges of fraud, grand larceny, perjury and forgery for his scams.
Along with the real estate fraud, Parkin and a partner cashed his mother's social security checks every month for six years, stealing about $115,00 in all. To pull off his pretense the defendant donned a wig, wore heavy make-up, his mother’s dresses and used a cane, claim prosecutors.
The elaborate disguise and Mhilton Rimolo's help, who pretended to be a nephew taking care of his 'elderly aunt', enabled him to collect Irene Prusik’s government and rent subsidies.
Prusik-Parkin is accused of giving a funeral director the wrong Social Security number and date of birth for his mother so that her death would not be registered in government databases. Prusik-Parkin’s mother, an actress, died in September 2003.
However, the woman’s monthly benefits were paid until June 2009, a Social Security investigator told the court.
In the astonishing six-year charade prosecutors argued that Prusik-Parkin, who was already on his own disability benefits, repeatedly cashed in his dead mother’s payments and collected the rent subsidies on the $2.2 million Brooklyn apartment she had left him.
The alleged fraudster was eventually caught out when he sought out prosecutors, dressed up in his full disguise, to complain he was being ripped off by the man who bought the apartment for $660,000 in a foreclosure auction.
In 2009 Prusik-Parkin was arrested 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 died in 2003 aged 73. After making sure her death would not be accurately recorded, Thomas began collecting $700 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 in city subsidies to help pay rent on an apartment.
In a 2009 interview with the New York Post Prusik-Parkin confessed to being a fan of Norman Bates, the main character from the 1960 classic Psycho who spies on and kills women he then imagines to be his mother.
The defendant’s lawyer, Morris Shamuil, argued that there was ‘absolutely no proof’ that his client dressed up as his mother. His accomplice, Mhilton Rimolo, 44, served less than a year in prison after pleading guilty for his part in the fraud.
Prusik-Parkin declined a plea deal that would have freed him and instead fought the charges in court, only to lose and now face a possible long sentence.
Man who dressed up like his dead mother for six years to steal $115,000 in benefits convicted of fraud, A man who impersonated his dead mother as part of a real estate scam -- using lipstick, manicured nails and even an oxygen tank at a meeting -- was convicted of fraud on Thursday and faces up to 83 years in prison, prosecutors said.
Thomas Parkin, 51, was found guilty of 11 criminal counts, including charges of fraud, grand larceny, perjury and forgery for his scams.
Along with the real estate fraud, Parkin and a partner cashed his mother's social security checks every month for six years, stealing about $115,00 in all. To pull off his pretense the defendant donned a wig, wore heavy make-up, his mother’s dresses and used a cane, claim prosecutors.
The elaborate disguise and Mhilton Rimolo's help, who pretended to be a nephew taking care of his 'elderly aunt', enabled him to collect Irene Prusik’s government and rent subsidies.
Prusik-Parkin is accused of giving a funeral director the wrong Social Security number and date of birth for his mother so that her death would not be registered in government databases. Prusik-Parkin’s mother, an actress, died in September 2003.
However, the woman’s monthly benefits were paid until June 2009, a Social Security investigator told the court.
In the astonishing six-year charade prosecutors argued that Prusik-Parkin, who was already on his own disability benefits, repeatedly cashed in his dead mother’s payments and collected the rent subsidies on the $2.2 million Brooklyn apartment she had left him.
The alleged fraudster was eventually caught out when he sought out prosecutors, dressed up in his full disguise, to complain he was being ripped off by the man who bought the apartment for $660,000 in a foreclosure auction.
In 2009 Prusik-Parkin was arrested 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 died in 2003 aged 73. After making sure her death would not be accurately recorded, Thomas began collecting $700 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 in city subsidies to help pay rent on an apartment.
In a 2009 interview with the New York Post Prusik-Parkin confessed to being a fan of Norman Bates, the main character from the 1960 classic Psycho who spies on and kills women he then imagines to be his mother.
The defendant’s lawyer, Morris Shamuil, argued that there was ‘absolutely no proof’ that his client dressed up as his mother. His accomplice, Mhilton Rimolo, 44, served less than a year in prison after pleading guilty for his part in the fraud.
