Man accused of $600,000 SNAP fraud returned to WA after fleeing to India
Oct 15, 2026, 5:24 PM
Manjit Bedi, 64, was returned to Washington after fleeing to India. (Image courtesy of the FBI)
(Image courtesy of the FBI)
A man accused of diverting about $600,000 in federal food assistance benefits for personal gain has been returned to Washington after fleeing to India, federal officials said.
Manjit Bedi, 64, was indicted on April 1. The indictment alleges he ran a grocery store in Tacoma and fraudulently processed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from March 2024 through June 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said Bedi appeared in court on April 22 and left the country four days later, traveling through Canada to India.
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Tips led authorities to SNAP fraud suspect in India
The FBI added Bedi to its Most Wanted Fraudsters list on Sept. 3. FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge Mike Harrington said the wanted poster was circulated in English, Hindi and Punjabi, and that tips helped authorities locate him in India. Indian authorities in Punjab arrested Bedi, Harrington said.
“There’s not a place in the world where the FBI’s wanted posters cannot reach,” Harrington said.
Bedi arrived in New York on Oct. 14, where he was taken into FBI custody, and was later transported to the federal detention center in Tacoma. Harrington said Bedi would remain there until his initial court appearance.
Floyd said Bedi became a naturalized U.S. citizen in January 2025, while the alleged fraud was ongoing. USDA Inspector General John Walk said SNAP is intended to assist low-income Americans.
“He stole from Americans who truly needed help,” Walk said.
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