Man Faked Retardation for Nearly 20 Years

**voivod** · 12.06.06, 02:41 PM

TACOMA, Wash. — For nearly 20 years — ever since Pete Costello was 8 — his mother has collected disability benefits on his behalf. In meetings with Social Security officials and psychologists, he appeared mentally retarded and unable to communicate. His mother insisted he couldn't read or write, shower, take care of himself or drive a car.

But now prosecutors say it was all a huge fraud, and they have video of Costello contesting a traffic ticket to prove it.

"He's like any other person trying to get out of a traffic ticket," Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa said Tuesday.

Pete and Rosie Marie Costello were indicted in September on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and Social Security fraud, and the case was unsealed Tuesday. The Vancouver pair were scheduled to appear in federal court in Tacoma on Tuesday.

Barbosa said he planned to file with the court two videos of Pete Costello taken this year: In one, he allegedly feigns retardation during an interview with Social Security workers; the other is of him contesting the traffic ticket in a courtroom earlier this year.

The indictment accuses Costello of faking — or at least exaggerating — retardation since August 1997, because that is what prosecutors are confident they can prove, Barbosa said. But the pair first received benefits 10 years before that.

The benefits cited in the indictment totaled $111,000.

Barbosa said the government does not know whether Costello is retarded to some degree, but he clearly has been "exaggerating whatever he may have, if any."

"This person isn't being honest with the government about his condition," Barbosa said. "It makes it impossible to sort out."

It was not immediately known if the Costellos had obtained attorneys.

**ZeoBandit** · 12.06.06, 02:45 PM

Nice. Way to defraud us out of our tax dollars. I hope they rot in hell.

**Viking** · 12.06.06, 04:17 PM

Assholes! They are part of a big problem, sucking the benefits dry while people that truly need them aren't able to get any. It really pisses me off.

The was a woman in Wolf Creek, Oregon that had a kid every couple of years so she could stay on welfare. They were stair stepped almost perfectly and no one knew who the Dad was as the only people she seemed to be screwing was the government. She just turned up pregnant now and then. Immaculate conception I guess.

**Kevy5150** · 12.06.06, 08:33 PM

I'm ashamed to live in the same city as this con-artist. The authorities should jail him into an institution for the rest of his life if he really wants to be retarded.

**fast98dodge** · 12.06.06, 08:35 PM

LOL!!! Only in Tacoma... LOL...

**sisca** · 12.06.06, 08:38 PM

the above story is nothing to joke about, but hey... some people say im retarded. wheres MY money?

**Darkstar** · 12.06.06, 11:51 PM

So now they need to remedy the situation..........a couple severe blows to the head with a blunt object and he'll no longer be faking!!!

**InTheBeginning** · 12.07.06, 05:29 AM

Just by the title of this thread alone...I thought I worked with him!!

**KRAMER5150** · 12.07.06, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by InTheBeginning

Just by the title of this thread alone...I thought I worked with him!!

me too

**billy007** · 12.07.06, 08:47 AM

I thought it was going to be about a member of congress!

**hey man** · 12.07.06, 10:49 AM

I guess I am the only one with the opinion that if you can cheat the system and get away with it (for a long while in his case anyway), then I have to tip my hat to that person for the effort made.

It's like robbing a bank - if someone can plan a bank robbery for months and then rob a bank for millions, I have a degree of respect for that person.

**chefcraig** · 12.07.06, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by hey man

I guess I am the only one with the opinion that if you can cheat the system and get away with it (for a long while in his case anyway), then I have to tip my hat to that person for the effort made.

It's like robbing a bank - if someone can plan a bank robbery for months and then rob a bank for millions, I have a degree of respect for that person.

In a way, that would make one hell of a lot more sense, as one would not have the need to play act in public for years.

It's also why it's far easier to tell the truth: one need not have to remember which lie one told whom.

**billy007** · 12.07.06, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by hey man

I guess I am the only one with the opinion that if you can cheat the system and get away with it (for a long while in his case anyway), then I have to tip my hat to that person for the effort made.

It's like robbing a bank - if someone can plan a bank robbery for months and then rob a bank for millions, I have a degree of respect for that person.

That's absurd - anyone that cheats the system is ripping off you and me - maybe you like feeling like a sucker, I don't.

If someone put that much effort into doing something beneficial for society, then maybe this world would be a better place. Instead we have a bunch of cheaters and liars, which leads to more government, which leads to more cheaters and liars in government, and on and on...

**ZeoBandit** · 12.07.06, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by hey man

I guess I am the only one with the opinion that if you can cheat the system and get away with it (for a long while in his case anyway), then I have to tip my hat to that person for the effort made.

It's like robbing a bank - if someone can plan a bank robbery for months and then rob a bank for millions, I have a degree of respect for that person.

Dude, you have some serious issues. These people have ripped us off of our money, causing our taxes to go up. Screw him.