An Indian American grocery store owner who allegedly fled the United States after being indicted for defrauding a federal food assistance program has been returned to the country to face charges.
Manjit Singh Bedi, 64, was arrested by Punjab Police in India in September, about four months after he allegedly fled the U.S. He is accused of defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of at least $600,000.
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“BACK IN THE U.S. — Manjit Singh Bedi, one of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters, was arrested in September in India,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. “This marks yet another significant moment for the historic FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters program — Bedi is one of six Most Wanted Fraudsters captured since the creation of the new list three months ago — and yet another high value target captured overseas — in a group responsible for a combined over $2 billion in fraud and on the run for almost 4,000 days collectively prior to arrest. He is charged with defrauding the U.S. of at least $600k in SNAP funds from approximately 2024 to 2025, and now will face justice for his alleged crimes. Thank you to our outstanding partners for their assistance in this case.”
Patel also said the FBI had secured 260 extraditions and removals over the previous 20 months, an increase of more than 70% from the preceding 20-month period. He credited cooperation with international law enforcement partners.
According to prosecutors, Bedi allegedly defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by exchanging food assistance benefits for cash. The indictment alleges that he used beneficiaries’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to process fraudulent food purchases, gave cardholders approximately half the value in cash and kept the remainder.
Bedi, who lives in Kent, Washington, previously operated Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma. Federal authorities allege that he defrauded the U.S. government of at least $600,000 in food assistance benefits between March 2024 and June 2025.
“This fugitive ran the Asian Grocery Store like a money laundering operation that converted federal food assistance for the needy into a personal cash dispensary to feed his own greed,” USDA Inspector General John Walk said in the FBI’s announcement.
Bedi was indicted in April on charges related to wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud. He pleaded not guilty at his April 22 arraignment. After being allowed to remain out of custody under court-ordered conditions, he allegedly fled to Canada and then India. A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 21 after he was accused of violating those conditions.
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The FBI added Bedi to its Most Wanted Fraudsters list on Sept. 3 and offered a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
U.S. authorities have since brought Bedi back to Washington state to face the charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said it would ask the court to detain him pending trial, citing his alleged flight from the country.
“I commend the work of the FBI and international partners to get Bedi back to the U.S. to face justice. 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,” Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said.