Elche ex-councillor 'faked cancer for five years' to claim sick pension

The ex-United Left (IU) member is said to have forged reports from three hospitals back in 2008 in order to sign up for incapacity benefit, after which he received 1,000 euros a month until he was caught.

A total of 70,000 euros was paid by the Social Security office to the fraudster, all of which he has refunded.

Óscar Morales is said to have convincingly forged a report from the Vall d'Hebrón hospital in Barcelona diagnosing him with colon cancer, another from the district hospital in San Juan de Alicante detailing his chemotherapy treatment, and a third from Elche General Hospital for radiotherapy.

He managed to fake the stamps, including the College of Medicine numbers, and signatures of real doctors at all three centres, and described in the reports in detail how the cancer had metastasised.

The scam was so convincing that his doctor prescribed opiates to help him with the side-effects of the treatment.

One-time councillor for Youth and Cooperation at Elche city council between 1995 and 1999, and chairman of Elche Football Club Foundation, Morales got away with claiming a disability pension and living off it until 2013.

He was called in for his annual medical check-up, a requirement of the Social Security when claiming a sick pension and in which, until then, the fact he did not have cancer had gone undetected.

His doctor became suspicious when the medical reports he supplied did not seem to bear any relation to his apparent state of health.

An investigation ensued and it transpired that the reports were fake.

Reporters from national Spanish daily broadsheets have tried to contact Morales to hear his version of the story, but he was described as being 'desolate', 'very upset' and refusing to make any comment.

It is believed he did not have cancer at all, let alone as serious as the type described, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Morales will face criminal charges, but has already paid back the whole 70,000 euros including interest after being found out.