Relatives of dead man indicted for pension fraud

Prosecutors have indicted 2 women for fraudulently claiming the pension benefits of a man whose mummified body was found in Tokyo.

The man is believed to have died more than 30 years ago, but prosecutors say his eldest daughter and granddaughter continued reapplying for his widower's pension, after his wife died 6 years ago.

The 2 women aged 81 and 53 are suspected of illegally having received total pension payments of 9.15 million yen or about 106,000 dollars over 35 occasions up to June this year.

The body of the man was found at his family home in Tokyo's Adachi Ward in July. If he was alive, he would have been the oldest man in Tokyo at 111 years old.
The body was discovered shortly after ward office staff visited the home to congratulate him on his age.

The women told investigators they used the pension money for living expenses and house repairs.

Police say the women have admitted to the charge.