President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance unveiled a $25 million whistleblower program Tuesday (October 20) designed to pay Americans cash rewards for tips that lead to fraud convictions or major federal enforcement actions.

The new initiative, called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP), allows people to submit tips through fraud.gov. Eligible tipsters can earn up to $30,000 if their information leads to a successful fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action, according to the White House. Simply submitting an allegation is not enough to qualify for a reward.

Fox 17 and The National News Desk report that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will administer the program. President Trump and Vice President Vance made the announcement during an Oval Office appearance on Tuesday (October 20).

According to Fox News Digital, White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said, "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."

The launch of WHIP comes roughly seven months after President Trump created the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and appointed Vice President Vance to lead it.

Also during the Oval Office event, President Trump presented independent journalist Nick Shirley, 24, with a $10,000 check. As reported by Yahoo News, Shirley traveled to Minnesota in December 2025 and posted a YouTube video showing visits to several Somali-run childcare centers, claiming the facilities were illegally collecting federal subsidies.

The White House credited Shirley's reporting with helping spark a surge of FBI and Department of Homeland Security resources into Minnesota, followed by investigations, arrests, and new charges. One person who appeared in Shirley's video was Fahima Egeh Mahamud, 50, former CEO of Future Leaders Early Learning Center. In July, Mahamud pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Prosecutors said she stole more than $4.6 million through false child care assistance claims and $850,000 through a federal child nutrition program.

Shirley previously told Fox News Digital, "Numbers don't lie, and convictions don't lie either."

Fox 17 also reports that President Trump called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz "a thief and a crook," alleging that Walz knew about the fraud. The White House has not elaborated further on that claim.

Americans who want to submit a fraud tip can do so at fraud.gov. The $25 million fund represents the administration's latest step in its broader campaign to crack down on fraud in federal benefits programs.

Bill Handel

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