A Tacoma man accused of taking at least $600,000 in federal food assistance through an alleged SNAP fraud scheme has been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list.
According to the FBI, 65-year-old Manjit Singh Bedi owned and operated Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma. Prosecutors say that between March 2024 and June 2025, Bedi accepted customers’ SNAP benefits through their electronic benefit transfer cards but gave them cash instead of food.
Authorities say Bedi kept about half of the money from those transactions.
“These benefits are intended to help vulnerable individuals make ends meet but, instead of putting food on their tables, taxpayer money lost to benefits fraud goes to the personal benefit of unscrupulous criminals,” W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office, said in a statement.
Bedi was indicted on charges of wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud. He was initially allowed to remain out of custody while the case proceeded, but a judge ordered him to surrender his passport and stay in Washington state.
Instead, he drove into Canada and later fled to India. Bedi is a naturalized U.S. citizen, according to the FBI.
A federal arrest warrant was issued May 21 after Bedi was charged with violating conditions of supervision.
The fraudsters list is separate from the FBI’s better-known Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Since its launch, 16 people have been added to the fraudsters list, and four have been captured, the FBI said.
The FBI is offering up to $150,000 for information leading to Bedi’s arrest and conviction.
Anyone with information can call the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online through the FBI.
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