Trump announces fraud tip rewards, with $10,000 planned for pro-Trump YouTuber

Washington, United States. President Donald Trump announced rewards for people exposing fraud involving US government programmes, naming conservative online influencer Nick Shirley as the first recipient. Trump’s description of the payments differed from the terms outlined by the Justice Department.

Different accounts of reward terms

Speaking in the Oval Office at the White House, Trump said the new Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program would pay an uncapped commission of 1% on fraud that people reported.

The Justice Department, however, said payments would range from $10,000 to $30,000 when information resulted in criminal charges. According to the department, the Treasury Department is allocating $25 million to the initiative, and decisions on awards would rest entirely with the Justice Department.

Trump said he would personally arbitrate all payment decisions. He also promised generosity, saying the administration was not seeking to economise on rewards.

Shirley’s video and Minnesota funding plans

A White House official told media outlets that Shirley would receive $10,000. The 24-year-old pro-Trump YouTuber produced a viral video alleging fraud at some Minnesota childcare centres.

Senior administration officials have promoted the video and cited it as the foundation for plans to reduce certain federal funding to Minnesota.

Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families challenged some of the allegations, describing them as exaggerated and misleading. A Minneapolis woman whose childcare centre appeared in Shirley’s video nevertheless subsequently entered a guilty plea to fraud charges.

At the White House, Shirley claimed there had never previously been an incentive to expose fraud and said doing so helped save America.

Vice President JD Vance, who heads Trump’s anti-fraud task force, praised Shirley’s work as a citizen journalist. Vance said Shirley had uncovered more fraud than anyone he had recently encountered in that role and would receive a financial reward.

Selection process remains unclear

How Shirley was chosen for the award was not immediately clear. Requests for comment sent by email to the White House, Justice Department and Treasury Department received no immediate response. Shirley also could not immediately be contacted.