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Trump shakes hands with conservative influencer Nick Shirley, who was given $10,000 for uncovering fraud in Minnesota. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Trump offers 1% commission for fraud whistleblowers — but says he'll be the arbitrator for who gets the reward

Rinna Diamantakos
Oct 23, 2026
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The Trump administration has announced a new anti-fraud program that will pay whistleblowers who tip off the federal government about fraudsters — but President Trump says he’ll act as the arbitrator when deciding who actually gets the cash.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Oct. 20, Trump said the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP) will pay tipsters a 1% commission on the amount of fraud they help uncover.

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“If you turn somebody in and you, let’s say report and you find $1 billion, we are giving a commission to that person of 1%. That’s a lot of money,” Trump said. “And if it’s $10 billion, $200 billion, $400 billion, we’re giving a 1% commission to that person.”

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The president also said he will be personally responsible for settling disputes when more than one person submits a tip, saying he’ll determine whether rewards should be split.

“I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” he said. “In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving … and I will be very generous, believe me.”

It’s unclear whether Trump will actually serve as an arbitrator. The Department of Justice (DOJ) website says it has “sole discretion” when issuing rewards and will be responsible for administering the program. Other claims Trump made during his announcement have also contradicted the DOJ’s explanation of the program.

The anti-fraud program

This initiative offers rewards for information relating to fraud of government programs and benefits. Tips are submitted through America.gov/fraud, which provides an explanation of how reporting works, what happens after a tip is made and how tipsters can qualify for a cash reward.

According to the DOJ, WHIP will award between $10,000 to $30,000 to anyone who submits a tip about government fraud — contradicting Trump’s 1% claim. It also says that money will only be awarded to tips that lead to criminal charges.

Asked for clarification by CBS News, Trump said there is no limit to compensation and that criminal charges will not be necessary in order to receive a payout.

“That’s the answer. I quit while I’m ahead,” Vice-President JD Vance joked, according to CBS News. Vance is responsible for leading the administration’s fraud task force, which was established in March. This latest program is meant to build on Vance’s anti-fraud work.

It’s unclear how exactly the program will be administered given the contradictions between Trump’s claims and the DOJ’s official explanation.

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First award handed out to YouTuber

The first WHIP payout has already been awarded.

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Conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley, who joined Trump and Vance at the Oval Office for the announcement, has received $10,000 after he went viral in December 2025 for posting videos alleging widespread fraud at daycares in Minnesota. The videos claimed members of Minnesota’s Somali community were running fake childcare centers to collect federal subsidies.

His viral content triggered a surge in FBI and Department of Homeland Security resources in Minnesota and led to the arrest of the CEO of an early learning center, who is accused of pocketing $4.6 million in false claims.

“Finally, people have an incentive to actually go out and expose fraud — and when you expose fraud, you help save America,” Shirley said during the announcement, in reference to the new whistleblower program.

It appears Shirley did not receive the 1% commission Trump promised, instead being awarded the $10,000 outlined by the DOJ. However, the exact method with which the amount was decided is unclear.

Shirley did post a video on YouTube titled “I Exposed Billions In Fraud … Now Trump Is Paying Me.” Democrats have disputed claims from Republicans that the Minnesota daycare fraud amounted to billions, but still, $10,000 is far less than 1% commission on a billion dollars.

It’s also lower than the $46,000 he should have been awarded if he received 1% commission for uncovering the $4.6 million fraud case.

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Rinna Diamantakos Contributing Editor

Rinna Diamantakos is a contributing editor at Moneywise.com. A versatile journalist, she has experience as a writer, editor and producer. Her work has focused on politics, business and financial news.

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