Trump Unveils $25 Million Fraud Whistleblower Program, Says He Will Arbitrate Rewards

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance unveiled the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program in the Oval Office on October 20, describing a $25 million initiative administered by the Justice Department to reward tips that result in criminal charges or significant enforcement against fraud in federal programs.

Trump said qualifying tipsters could receive a 1 percent commission on the fraud uncovered, subject to applicable rules, and that he would serve as arbitrator of any disputes over who receives payment. “If you turn somebody in and you, let’s say report, and you find $1 billion, we are giving a commission to that person of 1%,” Trump said. He added that he would make determinations “expeditiously and fairly.” A White House official had earlier described rewards of up to $30,000 for tips leading to successful convictions or major enforcement; the Justice Department’s Criminal Tip Rewards Pilot Program materials list defined payments between $10,000 and $30,000 paid after charges are unsealed, prioritizing areas such as hospice, home health, day-care, and special-services fraud.

Vance, who chairs the administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, said the program grew from conversations about recruiting citizens to help uncover abuse of taxpayer dollars. “If you want to help us stop it, you get to share in the rewards,” Vance said. Americans can submit tips through fraud.gov. Submitting an allegation alone does not qualify for a reward; the tip must lead to a successful conviction or significant federal enforcement action.

Independent journalist Nick Shirley, whose December 2025 videos of Minnesota daycare centers drew national attention, was present and received a $10,000 check. Shirley’s reporting prompted increased FBI and Homeland Security Investigations activity in Minnesota; one facility featured in his video later saw its former CEO plead guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy involving millions in false claims. Trump praised Shirley’s work, saying he had “done an amazing job.” Shirley noted that mainstream media focused scrutiny on him rather than the alleged fraud.

The announcement is part of the broader anti-fraud effort Trump established by executive order in March, with Vance as chairman. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz separately said the administration was deferring another $1.2 billion in California Medicaid personal-care payments over fraud concerns. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson called for mandatory minimum sentences for benefits fraud.