Bullion Bait Bust: Columbia Man Charged In Dunkirk Gold Delivery Sting

DUNKIRK, Md. — A Columbia man is facing felony charges after investigators say he participated in a large-scale tech support scam that defrauded a Calvert County resident of nearly $200,000 through a scheme involving fake Apple Support representatives and gold bullion.

According to court documents, Jatin Talway, 46, of Columbia, Maryland, was arrested following an investigation by the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office into a fraud case that began in late February.

Authorities say the victim was first contacted on February 26, 2026, by individuals posing as “Apple Support” after visiting a news website online. The caller claimed the victim’s computer and banking information had been compromised and transferred him to another person identifying himself as “Andrew,” who said he was affiliated with the Federal Trade Commission.

Investigators say “Andrew” instructed the victim to withdraw $30,000 in cash from a Cedar Point Federal Credit Union account and photograph the money before providing it to a courier who would collect it. The victim was told to verify the courier using a password phrase and later handed the cash to an individual who arrived in a white SUV while wearing a face mask.

The scheme continued in the following days. The victim was later instructed to purchase gold bullion valued at $163,770.95 from a business in Anne Arundel County and send proof of the purchase to the suspect posing as the FTC representative. Detectives became involved in the investigation as the transactions were unfolding and coordinated with the victim to monitor communications with the suspect.

Investigators arranged a controlled delivery using a one-kilogram gold bar provided as part of the investigation. On March 11, 2026, the victim was directed to meet the courier in the parking lot of a business along Southern Maryland Boulevard in Dunkirk to hand over the package containing the gold.

According to investigators, the victim arrived at the location and was approached by a white Mercedes-Benz GLS SUV. The driver, later identified as Talway, provided the correct password phrase and took possession of the package containing the gold bar.

Detectives immediately conducted a felony traffic stop in the parking lot and took Talway into custody without incident. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time. The Mercedes-Benz SUV was seized and towed to a secure sheriff’s office lot pending a search warrant.

Investigators say the fraud scheme occurred between February 27 and March 11, 2026, and involved multiple individuals working together. Authorities estimate the victim lost $193,770.95 as part of the operation.

Talway was charged with theft of $100,000 or more and theft scheme of $100,000 or more. He is currently being held without bond following a bail review hearing held March 12 in Calvert District Court.

A trial scheduling hearing for the case is set for June 3, 2026, in Calvert District Court.

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