Kent man faces food stamp fraud charges of $600,000
Published 3:43 pm Wednesday, April 22, 2026
A 64-year-old Kent man pleaded not guilty to charges in an alleged food stamp fraud scheme that resulted in a more than $600,000 loss to a federal nutrition program.
Manjit Bedi, the owner of a small Tacoma market, entered the not guilty plea Wednesday, April 22 in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, according to a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release. Bedi faces multiple counts of wire fraud and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit fraud.
“Every assistance dollar lost to fraud, is a dollar that could be feeding hungry children,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “This crime steals from taxpayers — including our most needy, cutting the dollars they have for food. We are committed to rooting out such fraud so that federal dollars go to where they are most needed.”
According to the indictment, Bedi owned and operated a small grocery store in Tacoma. In February 2024, the store was authorized to accept SNAP benefits – formerly known as food stamps. The indictment alleges that beginning in March 2024, Bedi agreed to provide SNAP recipients with cash in exchange for the money loaded on their electronic benefits card (EBT).
For example, Bedi reportedly would charge $200 against a recipient’s EBT card, providing $100 in cash to the recipient and keeping the other $100 as profit. The indictment alleges Bedi pocketed at least $600,000 in SNAP benefits for food items that were never sold.
Both wire fraud and SNAP benefit fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Bedi is scheduled for a June 22 trial in front of U.S. District Court Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Washington State Department of Health and Human Services.
