Trump and Vance Announce $25 Million Whistleblower Program: Tips Leading to Convictions Pay Up to $30,000
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on October 20 jointly announced the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP) in the Oval Office, a $25 million program encouraging the public to report suspected fraud in federal government programs. Anyone who submits a tip through fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible for a reward of up to $30,000, the White House said. The program will be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Submitting a tip alone does not earn a reward.
The program is the latest step by the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which Trump created by executive order in March and put Vance in charge of investigating the misuse of public funds. The task force has opened investigations into medical supply programs, food assistance benefits and the Affordable Care Act. Last month it announced plans to remove hundreds of thousands of enrollments from the ACA exchanges, saying the people listed either failed to meet eligibility requirements or did not exist. Earlier this month, Vance announced that Microsoft and seven other companies had been suspended from a program that lets businesses seek permanent residency for foreign workers, accusing them of abusing the system.
At the event, Trump presented independent journalist Nick Shirley with the program's first $10,000 check. Shirley posted a viral video last year alleging that daycare centers in Minnesota were collecting federal subsidies fraudulently. A woman featured in the video, Fahima Mahamud, pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States, according to the Justice Department. The White House did not specify whether Shirley's payment was tied to a particular conviction. Minnesota news outlets previously challenged some of the video's allegations, and inspectors said the centers were operating as expected. Governor Tim Walz abandoned his bid for a third term earlier this year in the wake of a multiyear fraud scandal in the state.
"Every day, President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud is zeroing in on the rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars and giving Americans the accountability they deserve. This administration has zero tolerance for individuals who steal from Americans," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said ahead of the announcement.
On October 16, the White House said officials across the Cabinet and in multiple states had signed Vance's pledge to protect Americans from fraud. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Treasury had returned $175 million in payments that would have gone to deceased individuals over the past year and expanded Do Not Pay access to 99% of federal programs. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said $22 billion in labor fraud had been uncovered. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau and its partners had eliminated tens of billions of dollars in intended fraud losses in three months, including six Most Wanted Fraudster arrests involving more than $2 billion in alleged fraud.
Under the schedule released by the White House, Trump was set to deliver remarks in Greenville, North Carolina, on Tuesday evening.
Related: Vance Leads "War on Fraud": Cabinet and State Officials Sign Pledge
(GSM, based on White House releases and the official White House video, and reporting by the Associated Press and The Wall Street Journal)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：2026年3月16日，特朗普在白宫椭圆形办公室签署组建反欺诈专责组的行政令，副总统万斯在旁（资料图）。图片来源：白宫官方发布，公共领域。Photo: President Donald Trump signs the executive order creating the anti-fraud task force in the Oval Office on March 16, 2026, with Vice President JD Vance standing behind him (file photo). Source: The White House, public domain.
