President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are set to announce a $25 million program that would pay members of the public who report suspected fraud in federal government programs. The announcement was scheduled for Tuesday during a joint appearance in the Oval Office.
The program, called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, pays up to $30,000 to anyone whose tip submitted through fraud.gov leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action, the White House said. The Justice Department will run it.
Trump created a task force on fraud in March and put Vance in charge. The White House said the effort targets abuse of taxpayer dollars in federal programs.
The event also included a $10,000 check to Nick Shirley, a conservative influencer whose video last year claimed Somali community members in Minnesota were running fake childcare centers to collect federal subsidies. Inspectors said the centers were operating as expected, but investigations, searches and arrests followed. In July, Fahima Mahamud pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States over inflated meal reimbursement claims for her childcare center, according to the Justice Department. The White House said Mahamud was featured in Shirley’s video.
