FBI Captures Tacoma SNAP Fraud Fugitive Manjit Singh Bedi in India

Manjit Singh Bedi, a naturalized U.S. citizen accused of siphoning more than $600,000 from the federal food stamp program through a Tacoma, Washington, grocery store, is back in American custody after his arrest in India last month.

The apprehension marks the sixth capture linked to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list since the bureau launched the initiative three months ago. Bedi had been offered a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction before authorities located him overseas.

Federal investigators allege that between March 2024 and June 2025, Bedi exploited his position as an Asian grocery store operator to run a cash-for-benefits scheme targeting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. According to charging documents, he swiped recipients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards and handed out cash instead of eligible food items, retaining roughly half the value of the benefits for himself.

EBT trafficking remains one of the most persistent vulnerabilities in the SNAP system. Unlike direct cash assistance programs, SNAP benefits are legally restricted to approved food purchases. Retailers authorized to accept EBT payments undergo oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, which can permanently disqualify stores caught converting benefits into cash. When store owners orchestrate the fraud themselves, however, the losses scale rapidly because they control the point-of-sale terminals used to process transactions.

After a federal indictment was returned against him, Bedi allegedly drove across the border into Canada before boarding a flight to India. A federal arrest warrant charging him with violating the conditions of his release was issued on May 21, 2026.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the extradition, crediting coordination with foreign law enforcement counterparts. Patel stated that over the past 20 months, the bureau has secured 260 extraditions and removals, representing an increase of more than 70% compared to the previous 20-month period.

Bedi’s return coincides with a broader escalation in federal financial crime enforcement. Since the Justice Department established its National Fraud Enforcement Division, prosecutors have initiated more than 1,000 major enforcement actions targeting schemes against Medicaid, HUD, Social Security, SBA lending programs, and SNAP. These initiatives focus heavily on networks that defraud safety-net programs designed for elderly, disabled, and low-income populations.

The FBI added two additional fugitives to its Most Wanted Fraudsters roster earlier this year during a separate $6.5 billion healthcare fraud takedown, signaling that the bureau intends to use the specialized list as a recurring tool rather than a static publication.

Bedi now faces wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud charges in U.S. federal court.