CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - More than a dozen people face charges in connection with a scheme to defraud elderly Americans out of money, including a Defiance, Missouri man.

According to the Justice Department , Chaman Samael Silverio Balbuena, 31, was arrested for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, along with money laundering conspiracy.

Federal prosecutors said the group of 13 people, some of whom were based at a call center in the Dominican Republic, worked together to steal more than $5 million from hundreds of victims across five states.

The average age of the victims is 84 years old.

The scam involved calling people and pretending to be their grandchildren or lawyers for their grandchildren, saying they were in trouble and needed money.

According to prosecutors, t

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