Federal authorities have charged 13 individuals in connection with a transnational elder fraud ring that targeted seniors across the United States, including at least 50 victims in Massachusetts. The scheme, based in the Dominican Republic, involved scammers impersonating relatives to deceive elderly victims—whose average age was 84—into handing over their life savings. The fraud ring is accused of stealing over $5 million from more than 400 victims nationwide. The FBI Boston investigation described the operation as "cruel and malicious." The arrests follow a broader crackdown on such schemes, with authorities emphasizing the devastating impact on older adults.