Washington, October 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Manjit Singh Bedi, an Indian-origin grocery store owner accused of defrauding a US food assistance programme of at least $600,000, has been brought back to the United States after being arrested in India, American authorities said.
Bedi, 64, of Kent, Washington, arrived in the Western District of Washington on the night of October 14 after being handed over to federal agents. He is scheduled to appear before the US District Court in Tacoma on Friday.
Officials have not disclosed whether his return from India was through extradition or deportation.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the development on X, describing Bedi as one of the agency’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters” and thanking FBI Seattle and law enforcement partners in the United States and India for helping secure his return.
Patel said Bedi was among six suspects captured since the FBI launched its new Most Wanted Fraudsters list three months earlier. He also cited more than 260 removal actions involving high-value targets over 20 months, saying the figure was approximately 70 per cent higher than in the preceding period.
According to the FBI, Bedi fled to India after being indicted on wire fraud charges in April. The Justice Department said he pleaded not guilty on April 22 and left the United States within a week. He was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list on September 3, and Indian law enforcement subsequently took him into custody.
Acting US Attorney Neil Floyd said prosecutors would ask the court to detain Bedi pending trial, arguing that his flight to India demonstrated a risk that he might flee again.
The indictment alleges that Bedi owned and operated The Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma, which was authorised to accept benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in February 2024.
Prosecutors allege that, beginning in March 2024, he exchanged cash for SNAP benefits loaded on recipients’ electronic cards, paying them 50 cents for every dollar in benefits. The scheme allegedly generated at least $600,000 in benefits for food that was never sold before it was discovered in June 2025.
Wire fraud and SNAP benefit fraud each carry potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges remain allegations, and Bedi is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
FOLLOW NOW
