Manjit Singh Bedi, a 65-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen and owner of Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma, Washington, was arrested in Jalandhar, Punjab, India, on Friday. The arrest was made by Indian authorities working in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Bedi is accused of orchestrating a scheme that defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of at least $600,000 and subsequently fleeing the United States while awaiting federal court proceedings.
"Five Most Wanted Fraudsters captured in just three months is a historic success for this initiative. The days of taking advantage of American taxpayers without consequence are over." FBI Director Kash Patel
Bedi’s capture marks the fifth arrest under the FBI’s recently launched Most Wanted Fraudsters initiative. He had been added to this specialized list just days before his apprehension. U.S. authorities are now initiating the process to extradite Bedi back to the United States to face federal wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud charges in the Western District of Washington.
According to federal investigators, Bedi’s alleged scheme operated between March 2024 and June 2025. He is accused of using customers’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to conduct transactions that appeared to be legitimate food purchases at his grocery store. However, investigators allege that Bedi would swipe the recipients’ EBT cards, provide them with cash, and then retain approximately half the value of the benefits for himself. As an example cited by authorities, a $200 benefits transaction allegedly resulted in a recipient receiving $100 in cash, with Bedi keeping the remaining $100. This operation is reported to have caused losses exceeding $600,000.
Bedi was initially allowed to appear in court without being taken into custody following his indictment. As part of his release conditions, he was ordered to surrender his passport and remain within Washington state while his case proceeded. The FBI alleges that Bedi violated these conditions by fleeing the country. Despite having surrendered his passport, the bureau states that Bedi drove across the U.S. border into Canada before making his way to India. A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 21 after he was charged with violating the conditions of his supervision, leading to his placement on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list and the offer of a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
The FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters initiative was established in June specifically to highlight fugitives accused of significant financial crimes. This list operates separately from the bureau’s long-standing Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. As of September 3, the FBI reported that 16 individuals had been added to the fraud-focused initiative since its inception, with four captures recorded by that date. Bedi’s arrest brings the total number of captures to five. Fox News reported that these five suspects are collectively accused of more than $2 billion in fraud and had spent a combined nearly 4,000 days as fugitives.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented on the success of the new initiative, stating, "Five Most Wanted Fraudsters captured in just three months is a historic success for this initiative. The days of taking advantage of American taxpayers without consequence are over."
Officials have emphasized the broader implications of such fraud. W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office, indicated that money lost through benefits fraud is diverted from assistance intended to help people afford food, impacting vulnerable Americans. U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk accused Bedi of effectively transforming his grocery store into a cash-conversion operation for federal food benefits and affirmed authorities' commitment to pursuing those who steal taxpayer funds. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald also highlighted Bedi’s overseas arrest as a clear signal that federal authorities intend to pursue fraud defendants even if they leave the country.
Bedi remains accused of the underlying federal fraud charges. The FBI underscores that allegations contained in an indictment must be proven in court, and defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted beyond a reasonable doubt. The focus now shifts to the extradition process to bring Bedi back to the United States to face these allegations.
