FBI Most-Wanted Fraud Suspect Captured in India After Alleged $600K SNAP Scheme
A Tacoma grocery store owner accused of stealing at least $600,000 from a federal food-assistance program has been arrested in India after allegedly fleeing the US while awaiting court proceedings.
Manjit Singh Bedi, 65, was taken into custody Friday by Indian authorities working with the FBI, marking the fifth arrest connected to the bureau’s newly launched Most Wanted Fraudsters initiative. US authorities are now working to bring him back to face charges.
Bedi had been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list just days before his arrest.
The bureau says the naturalized US citizen operated Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma, Washington, where he allegedly carried out a scheme involving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits between March 2024 and June 2025.
Federal investigators accuse Bedi of using customers’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to conduct transactions that appeared to involve eligible food purchases.
Instead, investigators allege Bedi would swipe recipients’ EBT cards, give them cash and retain approximately half the value of the benefits for himself.
In one example described by authorities, a $200 benefits transaction allegedly resulted in a recipient receiving $100 in cash while the remaining $100 went to Bedi. Investigators allege the operation ultimately caused losses exceeding $600,000.
Bedi was eventually indicted on federal wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud charges in the Western District of Washington.
Manjit Singh Bedi, 65, was taken into custody Friday by Indian authorities working with the FBI, marking the fifth arrest connected to the bureau’s newly launched Most Wanted Fraudsters initiative. US authorities are now working to bring him back to face charges.
Bedi had been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list just days before his arrest.
The bureau says the naturalized US citizen operated Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma, Washington, where he allegedly carried out a scheme involving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits between March 2024 and June 2025.
Federal investigators accuse Bedi of using customers’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to conduct transactions that appeared to involve eligible food purchases.
Instead, investigators allege Bedi would swipe recipients’ EBT cards, give them cash and retain approximately half the value of the benefits for himself.
In one example described by authorities, a $200 benefits transaction allegedly resulted in a recipient receiving $100 in cash while the remaining $100 went to Bedi. Investigators allege the operation ultimately caused losses exceeding $600,000.
Bedi was eventually indicted on federal wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud charges in the Western District of Washington.
70-79, M
