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A Spanish woman who had been receiving disability benefits for over a decade after claiming she had lost the ability to speak has been exposed as a fraud, thanks to the efforts of a private investigator.
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The woman, who worked in a supermarket in Andalucía, Spain, was attacked by a customer in 2003. The incident led to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and an alleged inability to speak. Based on these findings, the Social Security office approved her for a permanent disability pension. However, as the incident occurred at her workplace, the responsibility for the payments fell to her employer’s insurance company.
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Years later, during a routine case review, the insurance company noticed several irregularities in her records, which raised concerns and prompted a deeper investigation. A few years ago, the company enlisted the help of a private detective to observe the woman discreetly. The findings were damning.
Despite claiming to be mute, the woman was seen speaking freely in public. The investigator reported that “the mute woman speaks normally on the street, chats with other mothers outside the school gates, uses her cell phone without any problems, and attends Zumba classes.”
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To gather indisputable evidence, the detective later approached the woman in the street, asking for directions to a nearby department store. She responded clearly and fluently, explaining the route in “perfectly articulated Spanish”, unaware that she was being recorded.
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Interestingly, a review of her medical records revealed that none of the specialists she had seen since 2009—an ophthalmologist, orthopaedist, and dermatologist—had made any note of her alleged speech condition. This anomaly led to a re-evaluation of her case by a panel of doctors, with at least one psychiatrist suggesting the possibility of fraud.
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However, a single expert opinion wasn’t sufficient to take legal action. It was only after the detective’s video evidence emerged that the insurance company proceeded with a lawsuit.
In January, the High Court of Justice of Andalusia (TSJA) ruled in favour of the insurance company. The court deemed the video footage admissible, dismissing the woman’s appeal that it breached her constitutional rights.
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The judgement stated: “A simulation of pseudomutism has been established, or at least a very favourable progression or evolution of such symptoms, as the inhibited symptoms have disappeared.”
Following the court's ruling, a new legal case has been initiated to determine the financial penalty the woman will face for fraudulently claiming disability benefits. The insurance company is also expected to sue to recover the payments made over the past 16 years.