Tacoma grocery store owner extradited from India to face $600k food stamp fraud charges
Manjit Bedi, 64, fled the US to India after being indicted for wire fraud. He was captured after being added to the FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters list.
Tacoma market owner returned from India after fleeing food stamp fraud indictment
The 64-year-old owner of a small grocery store in Tacoma, Washington, arrived in the Western District of Washington overnight after being extradited from India, where he had fled following a federal indictment for wire fraud tied to a food stamp scheme, according to justice.gov. Manjit Bedi, of Kent, Washington, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.
Bedi pleaded not guilty on 22 April 2026 and left the United States within a week of that hearing. On 3 September 2026, the FBI added him to its newly established "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list, disseminating his image and case details internationally. Indian law enforcement took Bedi into custody shortly thereafter and transferred him to federal agents.
The scheme
According to the indictment, Bedi's store in Tacoma was authorised to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in February 2024. Beginning the following month, Bedi allegedly agreed to exchange SNAP recipients' electronic benefits card (EBT) credit for cash at a rate of fifty cents on the dollar. Under that arrangement, he would charge $200 against a recipient's EBT card, hand over $100 in cash, and retain the remaining $100 as profit — for transactions in which no food was ever sold.
Between March 2024 and June 2025, when investigators uncovered the scheme, Bedi is alleged to have pocketed at least $600,000 in SNAP funds. Both wire fraud and SNAP benefit fraud carry penalties of up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Officials respond
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said prosecutors would seek pre-trial detention, citing Bedi's demonstrated ability and willingness to flee. "Those who take advantage of America's generosity must be held accountable," Floyd said.
FBI Director Kash Patel described Bedi's capture as part of a broader pattern of success for the Most Wanted Fraudsters programme. "Bedi is one of six Most Wanted Fraudsters captured since the creation of the new list three months ago," Patel said. "He is charged with defrauding the U.S. of at least $600k in SNAP funds from approximately 2024 to 2025." Patel added that the six individuals on the list collectively represent more than $2 billion in fraud and had been on the run for nearly 4,000 days combined before their arrests.
USDA Inspector General John Walk stated that SNAP benefits are intended for low-income Americans and that his office would continue to pursue those who misuse them regardless of where they flee. W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, credited tips from the public alongside the work of international law enforcement partners in securing Bedi's return.
FBI Most Wanted Fraudsters list
The FBI launched the Most Wanted Fraudsters list on 4 June 2026 with eight individuals. The list is separate from the agency's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is designed to generate public tips that assist in locating fraud suspects. As of 14 October 2026, eighteen people have been added in total, six have been captured, and twelve remain on the list.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. The Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs coordinated Bedi's return from India. Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore is prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are allegations only. Bedi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)