Under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, anyone who submits a tip to fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible to receive up to $30,000, the White House said. The Justice Department will administer the program.
During the announcement, Trump said payments will work out to a 1% commission on the dollar amount of fraud the tip helps uncover. Trump also said he will decide who gets to collect reward money in cases where more than one person claims to have provided the tip.
The Republican president has undertaken an aggressive effort to eliminate fraud throughout the government. Trump established a task force on the topic in March and put Vance in charge of it.
“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," said White House spokesperson Lauren Bis.
During the Oval Office event, Trump presented a $10,000 check to Nick Shirley, an independend journalist who posted a video last year that said members of Minnesota’s Somali community were running fake childcare centers to collect federal subsidies.
The video caught the attention of the Trump administration and led to investigations, searches and arrests.
One woman, Fahima Mahamud, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States by submitting inflated reimbursement claims for meals allegedly served to children at her childcare center.
