Trump administration intensifies nationwide fraud crackdown
The Trump administration boosts efforts in its ‘war on fraud,’ including independent journalist Nick Shirley’s Senate testimony exposing rampant tax dollar misuse. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald reveals over $1 billion recovered from trade fraud. Dr. Oz joins the fight, uncovering millions in Medicaid funding stolen through fraudulent NYC adult daycare centers, highlighting a nationwide problem.
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EXCLUSIVE – President Donald Trump is putting cash behind his crackdown on taxpayer fraud, preparing to offer Americans rewards for tips that help bring fraudsters to justice.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance will unveil a $25 million Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program during a Tuesday afternoon announcement with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in the Oval Office, a White House official told Digital.
The program, known as WHIP, will offer eligible tipsters up to $30,000 if their information leads to a successful fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action, the official said.
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President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will unveil a $25 million fraud whistleblower program offering Americans up to $30,000 for tips that lead to convictions or major federal enforcement actions. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Trump also plans to present independent journalist Nick Shirley with a $10,000 check for his work exposing suspected fraud in Minnesota, according to the official.
“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,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Digital.
EXCLUSIVE: NICK SHIRLEY FIRES BACK AT MINNESOTA CRITICS: ‘NUMBERS DON’T LIE, AND CONVICTIONS DON’T LIE’
Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was found at the center of an alleged childcare fraud scandal in the state. (Madelin Fuerste / )
The Justice Department will administer the new program, and Americans will be able to submit tips through fraud.gov, the official said. The initiative aims to encourage both independent journalists and everyday Americans to flag suspected fraud involving taxpayer money.
Shirley drew national attention in December 2025 after publishing a video questioning whether several Somali-run Minnesota day care centers were operating as legitimate businesses. His video showed apparently empty facilities and included people who said they had not seen children at the locations.
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Independent journalist Nick Shirley sat down for an interview with Riley Gaines as part of the launch of Outkick’s “The Riley Gaines Show.” (OutKick)
The White House credited Shirley’s reporting with helping spur a surge of FBI and Department of Homeland Security resources into Minnesota, followed by investigations, arrests and new charges.
One facility featured in Shirley’s video was Future Leaders Early Learning Center, whose former CEO, Fahima Egeh Mahamud, pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
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Federal agents enter an office building as a search warrant is executed at Ultimate Home Health Services over potential Medicaid fraud, on December 18, 2025, in Bloomington, Minnesota. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Prosecutors said Mahamud stole more than $4.6 million through false child care assistance claims and $850,000 through a federal child nutrition program connected to the Feeding Our Future scandal.
Shirley previously pointed to Mahamud’s guilty plea as vindication of his reporting amid efforts to discredit his investigations.
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“Well, numbers don’t lie, and convictions don’t lie either,” he previously told Digital.
The reward initiative adds a public tip incentive to the administration’s broader campaign against fraud in federal benefits programs.
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Trump established the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in March, with Vance serving as chairman. The executive order directed the group to coordinate efforts across federal agencies to uncover fraud, strengthen eligibility checks and prevent improper payments.
Under the new program, submitting an allegation alone would not qualify someone for a reward. The tip must lead to a successful fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action, according to the White House official.
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Digital’s David Unsworth contributed to this report.
