FBI: Accused fraudster returned to U.S. to face justice for alleged $600K SNAP fraud after fleeing to India
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced that one of its most wanted fraudsters has been brought back to the U.S. from India to face justice for alleged wire fraud in connection with a food stamp fraud scheme.
64-year-old Manjit Singh Bedi, who was living in Kent, Washington, was added to the FBI’s new “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list in early September with a reward of up to $150,000 offered, the bureau said on Thursday. This marks the sixth apprehension from the list.
Bedi, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from India, is accused of being involved in a scheme that defrauded the U.S. government of at least $600,000 between March 2024 and June 2025.
Bedi operated Asian Grocery Store, a small shop in Tacoma, Washington, that purportedly sold food to Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP) participants.
“However, instead of selling participants food, Bedi is alleged to have swiped their cards and given them cash, keeping half of the proceeds for himself,” the FBI alleged in its “wanted” poster for Bedi.
He appeared in court in April to plead not guilty after being indicted for wire fraud and SNAP benefit fraud. He was not arrested and only ordered to give up his passport and remain in Washington. However, he disobeyed this order and, within a week, drove across the northern border to Canada before fleeing to India, per the FBI.
The FBI issued a federal arrest warrant in May 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, after he was charged with violating the conditions of supervision.
Law enforcement in India “quickly” detained Bedi and turned him over to federal agents in the Western District of Washington Wednesday night.
“I commend the work of the FBI and international partners to get Mr. Bedi back to the U.S. to face justice,” Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said. “We will ask the court to detain him pending trial as he has demonstrated he has the will and the means to flee. Those who take advantage of America’s generosity must be held accountable.”
FBI Director Kash Patel called the development “yet another significant moment for the historic FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters program,” which began earlier this year.
“Bedi is one of six Most Wanted Fraudsters captured since the creation of the new list three months ago,” Patel remarked in an FBI statement. “He is in a group responsible for more than a combined $2 billion in fraud and has been on the run for almost 4,000 days collectively prior to arrest.”
“This is the latest in a tremendously successful run of returning high value targets to the U.S. by engaging with foreign partners – with over 260 removal actions in just 20 months, up over approximately 70% from the previous period,” he added.
“This fraudster tried to escape justice by fleeing to his home country of India. Now the long arm of the law has brought him back to the United States to face the consequences for his crimes,” said Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General John Walk. “Stealing SNAP benefits – food assistance benefits intended for low-income Americans – is wrong and no matter where they run, we will not stop pursuing those who perpetrate these crimes against the poorest Americans and the American taxpayer.”
FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge Mike Herrington asserted during a press briefing about Bedi, “If you think you can flee beyond the borders of the United States to avoid our justice system, you are wrong, as Mr. Bedi discovered.”
“No matter how far someone may flee and no matter how long it may take, the FBI is committed to pursuing those who attempt to outrun the consequences of their criminal actions, even when they seek to evade the justice system by hiding overseas,” he stated, cautioning those considering aiding any alleged criminals like Bedi that charges can also be pursued for conspirators of crimes that rob America’s most vulnerable and needy citizens.
FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge Mike Herrington on Manjit Singh Bedi, one of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters, who returned to the U.S. to Face Justice: "No matter how far someone may flee and no matter how long it may take, the FBI is committed to pursuing those who attempt… pic.twitter.com/wboB9ZgYUs
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