Missouri man among 13 charged in $5M ‘grandparent scam’ targeting seniors

BOSTON – Thirteen people, including a Missouri man, have been charged in a nationwide $5 million “grandparent scam” that tricked hundreds of seniors into believing their grandchildren needed urgent financial help.

Chaman Samael Silverio Balbuena, 31, of Defiance, Missouri, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and one count of money laundering conspiracy.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Balbuena, who also went by the alias Chammy,” was allegedly a “runner” in the wide-ranging scam, and he is in custody as of August 12.

Investigators say the scheme allegedly involved a “call center” operation in the Dominican Republic that defrauded more than 400 elderly victims out of $5 million. The victims averaged 84 years old and included at least 50 individuals in Massachusetts.

The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.

(Story by Joey Schneider, ozarksfirst.com)