Trump Unveils Fraud Whistleblower Program Offering One Percent Commission on Recovered Funds
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump introduced an incentive program on Tuesday that offers fraud whistleblowers a one percent commission on funds successfully recovered from fraudulent activities.
Trump announced the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program during an Oval Office appearance alongside Vice President JD Vance and independent journalist Nick Shirley. Shirley recently drew public attention to alleged fraud at the Quality Learning Center in Minnesota.
Under the new initiative, Americans and journalists can submit tips regarding community fraud through the website fraud.gov, which was created by Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia. To qualify for the payout, informants must provide proof that they originated the report and substantiate the fraud claims.
“If you turn somebody in and you, let’s say, report, and you find a billion dollars, we are giving a commission to that person of one percent,” Trump said. “It’s a lot of money, and if it’s $10 billion, $200 billion, $400 billion, we’re giving a 1 percent commission to that person. You have to prove that you were the one, and prove that it was you.”
Trump directly encouraged members of the media to participate in the reporting effort. Suggesting that reporters might reconsider their careers if they uncover substantial sums, he noted that journalists would need to secure approval from their respective publications.
Predicting high volume for the initiative, Trump stated that the program will support the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a body chaired by Vice President Vance.
According to Vance, the commission structure originated from a discussion with the president regarding ways to engage citizens in safeguarding taxpayer money. Vance explained that the administration wanted to reward individuals who help protect the country and save taxpayers financial resources by allowing them to share in the generated benefits.
During the announcement, Vance acknowledged Shirley’s investigative work, noting that the independent journalist would receive a financial reward, though he observed that financial gain was not Shirley’s original motivation.
Shirley argued that the initiative fills a long-standing gap by creating a direct incentive for exposing illicit schemes. He criticized individuals who commit fraud for draining resources intended for vulnerable populations and using the illicit funds to purchase luxury items or transfer money overseas.
