A man the FBI ranked as its fifth most wanted white-collar fugitive is now in custody in India, captured after allegedly running a sprawling scheme to steal millions in federal food-assistance funds before fleeing the country.
Mubashar "Mubi" Rana, 49, was arrested by Indian authorities working in coordination with the FBI and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, Fox News reported exclusively. Rana had been on the run since 2023, when a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas handed up a 22-count indictment charging him with wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy in connection with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps.
The charges carry a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count and up to 20 years on each money laundering count. Rana has not been convicted; the indictment represents allegations that have yet to be tested at trial.
Federal prosecutors allege Rana orchestrated a fraud operation through a network of convenience stores in East Texas. The stores allegedly processed fictitious SNAP transactions, generating electronic benefit payments for food that was never purchased or distributed. The fraudulent redemptions were then allegedly converted into cash, which prosecutors say Rana laundered through various financial channels.
The alleged losses to the federal government totaled approximately $7 million, according to the indictment. SNAP benefits are funded by U.S. taxpayers and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help low-income families buy groceries. Schemes that siphon those funds divert resources from families who depend on the program to feed their children.
FBI officials placed Rana on the bureau's list of top ten most wanted white-collar criminals, slotting him at number five. That designation reflected both the scale of the alleged fraud and the difficulty authorities faced in locating him after he left the United States.
Rana allegedly fled to India after learning of the federal indictment in 2023. U.S. authorities coordinated across agencies and with Indian law enforcement to track him down. The FBI and the Diplomatic Security Service worked together on the fugitive investigation, which culminated in Rana's arrest in India.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough emphasized the bureau's reach in a statement following the arrest. Yarbrough said:
"This arrest should serve as a warning to those who think they can steal from federal programs and flee the country to avoid justice. The FBI and our partners will pursue you no matter where you go."
U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas also weighed in, framing the case as a priority for his office. Diggs stated:
"Protecting taxpayer-funded programs like SNAP from fraud is a top priority. We will hold accountable those who exploit these programs for personal gain."
Authorities have not publicly detailed the specific mechanism by which Rana was located in India or how long the international phase of the investigation lasted. Investigators also have not said whether additional suspects connected to the alleged store network face charges or are cooperating with prosecutors.
The 22-count indictment lays out a serious federal case. Wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 requires prosecutors to prove that a defendant used interstate wire communications to carry out a scheme to defraud. Money laundering charges add a second layer, alleging that proceeds from the fraud were funneled through financial transactions designed to conceal their origin.
Each wire fraud and money laundering count carries up to 20 years in prison. If convicted on all counts, Rana would face substantial consecutive sentencing exposure, though actual sentences often fall below statutory maximums based on federal sentencing guidelines and judicial discretion.
Rana's arrest in India means U.S. authorities must now pursue extradition or another legal mechanism to bring him back to the Eastern District of Texas for trial. The United States and India maintain an extradition treaty, though the process can involve diplomatic and legal proceedings that stretch over months. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the timeline for Rana's expected return to U.S. soil.
The case lands at a moment when federal food-assistance fraud has drawn increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and investigators. SNAP serves roughly 42 million Americans, and the USDA's Office of Inspector General has flagged retailer fraud as a persistent vulnerability in the system. Convenience-store schemes like the one alleged against Rana follow a familiar pattern: stores swipe EBT cards for transactions that never involve actual food purchases, then pocket the cash equivalent.
The FBI's decision to place Rana on its most wanted white-collar list signals that the bureau views large-scale benefits fraud as worthy of the same investigative intensity typically reserved for securities fraud or public corruption cases. For conservative lawmakers who have long pushed for tighter controls on federal benefits programs, cases like this one underscore the argument that enforcement must match the scale of the problem.
Yarbrough's warning that the FBI "will pursue you no matter where you go" reflects a broader posture from federal law enforcement: international flight does not place suspects beyond the reach of American prosecutors. The cooperation between the FBI, the Diplomatic Security Service, and Indian authorities demonstrates the cross-border infrastructure that exists to chase financial fugitives.
Rana now faces the extradition process and, upon return to the United States, arraignment in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas. He is presumed innocent under the law until proven guilty at trial or upon entry of a guilty plea.
Prosecutors will need to present evidence tying Rana directly to the alleged fictitious transactions and showing that the money laundering charges reflect intentional concealment rather than ordinary business activity. Defense attorneys in SNAP fraud cases often challenge the government's transaction-level evidence and argue that store employees, not owners, drove the fraudulent activity. Investigators have not indicated whether Rana has retained counsel or signaled any intent to cooperate.
The Eastern District of Texas has handled a number of SNAP fraud prosecutions in recent years, and the office under U.S. Attorney Diggs has signaled that benefits-fraud cases will remain a priority on its docket.
Seven million dollars in alleged stolen benefits bought a spot on the FBI's most wanted list and a pair of handcuffs on the other side of the world. When the system works, distance is not a defense.
