Manjit Singh Bedi, accused of stealing at least $600,000 through a SNAP benefits scheme tied to his Tacoma grocery, was arrested in India after nearly a year on the run. He faces charges including wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud, and U.S. officials are coordinating his return for prosecution. Bedi is the fifth arrest under the FBI's 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' initiative, which has highlighted suspects accused of more than $2 billion in alleged fraud and nearly 4,000 collective days on the run. Assistant Attorney General Matthew McDonald said the DOJ will keep working with the FBI to pursue fraud suspects abroad.
Fugitive Accused Of $600K SNAP Fraud Arrested In India After Nearly One Year On The Run
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Manjit Singh Bedi, a fugitive accused of defrauding the U.S. government of at least $600,000 through a scheme tied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), was arrested in India after nearly a year on the run, the FBI said.
Allegations and Charges
Federal prosecutors allege Bedi used a grocery store he operated in Tacoma, Washington, to obtain SNAP benefits fraudulently between 2024 and 2025. He faces multiple criminal charges, including wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud.
Arrest and Extradition Efforts
The FBI says Bedi left the United States sometime last year and was located and arrested in India. U.S. officials are coordinating with Indian authorities to secure his return to the United States for prosecution.
FBI Initiative and Wider Context
Bedi is the fifth arrest tied to the FBI's 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' initiative, launched three months ago to highlight major fraud cases and fugitives. The five suspects taken into custody so far are accused of more than $2 billion in combined fraud and reportedly spent nearly 4,000 days evading capture before their arrests.
As this arrest in India shows, the Justice Department's reach extends to every corner of the planet, Assistant Attorney General Matthew McDonald said.
McDonald added that the Justice Department's Fraud Division will continue working closely with the FBI to pursue fraud suspects who flee the country and to hold them accountable.
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