All articles tagged with #snap fraud
Vice President JD Vance announced the indictment of over 40 defendants for stealing $42 million in food stamp funds. The crackdown highlights a scheme by Atlanta rapper Mercedes New, who allegedly used 350 fake accounts to fund a lavish lifestyle.
Vice President JD Vance announced criminal charges against more than 40 defendants for stealing approximately $42 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds. The indictment, unveiled in Cincinnati, includes Atlanta influencer Mercedes New, known as Shawty Dred, who is accused of siphoning $4 million to fund a lavish lifestyle. The administration claims its anti-fraud efforts have uncovered $260.7 billion in total fraud since 2025.
Manjit Singh Bedi, a 64-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen and owner of an Asian grocery store in Tacoma, Washington, was arrested in India on September 5, 2026. Bedi is the fifth individual captured under the FBI’s 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' initiative, which launched in June 2026. Federal investigators allege Bedi defrauded the government of at least $600,000 between March 2024 and June 2025 by exchanging SNAP benefits for cash. After being indicted in April 2026, Bedi violated pre-trial release conditions by fleeing through Canada to India. The FBI is now working with Indian authorities to extradite him back to the United States to face charges of wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud.