FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudster arrested in Punjab
The Punjab Police on Friday arrested Manjit Singh Bedi, an India-born US citizen who was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list a day earlier.
The 65-year-old grocer is wanted in the US for allegedly running a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) scheme that prosecutors say cost the federal Government at least $6,00,000. SNAP is meant to help low-income households in the US buy food. Bedi was born in India on January 11, 1961. He lived in Kent, Washington, and ran an Asian grocery store in Tacoma. In February 2024, his store was approved to accept SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
Prosecutors say the alleged cash-for-benefits scheme began the following month and continued until June 2025.
The accusation matches a common SNAP-trafficking pattern. Instead of selling eligible food, Bedi is accused of swiping customers’ EBT cards, giving them cash worth about half the amount charged and keeping the rest. For example, the charging papers describe a $200 transaction in which the customer received $100 in cash, and the store kept $100. Investigators say that over more than a year, these deals resulted in at least $6,00,000 in grocery benefits that were never provided. When these benefits are redeemed for cash and split with a retailer, the Government loses money, and recipients often receive less than the card’s full value.
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Washington indicted Bedi in April 2026 on several counts of wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud.
He pleaded not guilty in Tacoma and was released because officials noted his clean criminal record. A judge ordered him to surrender his passport and remain in Washington. His trial was set for June 22, 2026, but he did not appear. Investigators say he drove to Canada and then travelled to India. On May 21, 2026, a federal warrant was issued for breaking the terms of his release. But he was not able to hide in Punjab.
Jalandhar Police arrested him just hours after the FBI added him to its list of fraudsters and offered a reward of up to $1,50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Punjab police arrested him under Indian law in a local case involving cheating and illegal immigration registered in May. Earlier, FBI Seattle said it was working with Indian authorities and that agents also contacted his family, including his son.
Bedi is still presumed innocent of the American fraud charges unless he is found guilty in a US court. Each wire fraud charge could mean up to 20 years in prison and a $2,50,000 fine if he is convicted. The next legal steps will likely focus on custody and extradition, including whether he will be held for the local cheating and immigration case, whether Washington will request his return under the U.S.-India extradition treaty, and how quickly Indian courts will handle any challenges.
