Justice Department Gets 'Thousands of Tips' in Days After Launching Fraud Whistleblower Rewards Program
The Justice Department's new fraud whistleblower program has received thousands of tips in its first few days, Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division said Saturday, Fox News Digital reported.
What McDonald Said
"In the last few days, we've received thousands of tips through this new tip line. This is a novel approach, a novel approach to try new things to combat the fraudsters," McDonald said on "My View with Lara Trump," according to Fox News Digital.
"We are going to do new things, and this whistleblower program is an example of that, where folks can get upfront payment when there is an arrest and not have to wait to the very end of a case, which is what every other whistleblower program in history has done," he said.
McDonald said recovering stolen money after it has been spent can be difficult, but that the department is building an "asset recovery team of specialists" to track down fraud proceeds and seek forfeiture of property bought with stolen funds, Fox News Digital reported.
How the Whistleblower Program Works
The Justice Department announced the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, on Oct. 20. According to the department's announcement, it pays whistleblowers $10,000 to $30,000 for information leading to criminal charges in certain areas, while leaving them eligible for larger rewards if their tips lead to big penalties or forfeitures. Fox News Digital reported that President Donald Trump said qualifying tipsters would receive a 1% commission, subject to applicable laws and rules.
The program covers federal health care offenses and fraud on programs run by the departments of Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Veterans Affairs and War, as well as the Small Business Administration, the Justice Department said. For health care fraud, it will prioritize tips involving hospice, home health care, day care and special services.
Submitting an allegation alone does not qualify someone for a reward; the tip must lead to a successful fraud conviction or significant federal enforcement action, a White House official told Fox News Digital.
The program comes as the administration steps up its fight against benefit fraud, including a recent 50-day enforcement surge targeting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that uncovered about $40 million in alleged fraud involving more than 40 suspects, according to Fox News Digital.
Image: Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Washington (file photo), Gunnar Klack, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: Fox News Digital, "DOJ flooded with thousands of fraud tips after cash incentive launch, Trump official says" (Oct. 25, 2026): https://www.foxnews.com/media/doj-flooded-thousands-fraud-tips-after-cash-incentive-launch-trump-official-says ; U.S. Department of Justice, "Justice Department Announces Innovative Whistleblower Rewards Program to Combat Fraud" (Oct. 20, 2026): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-innovative-whistleblower-rewards-program-combat-fraud
Comments