WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance are set Tuesday to announce a US$25 million program to encourage the public to blow the whistle on suspected fraud in the federal government as they ramp up an existing effort to end the abuse of federal programs and dollars. Under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, anyone who submits a tip to fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible to receive up to US$30,000, the White House said. The Justice Department will administer the program. The Republican president has undertaken an aggressive effort to eliminate fraud throughout the government. Trump established a task force on the topic in March and put Vance in charge of it. They are scheduled to announce the fund during a joint appearance in the Oval Office later Tuesday. “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,” said White House spokesperson Lauren Bis. During the Oval Office event, Trump will present a US$10,000 check to Nick Shirley, a right-wing influencer who posted a video last year that said members of Minnesota’s Somali community were running fake childcare centers to collect federal subsidies. The video caught the attention of the Trump administration and conservative activists, though inspectors said the centers were operating as expected. Investigations, searches and arrests followed. In July, one woman, Fahima Mahamud, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States by submitting inflated reimbursement claims for meals allegedly served to children at her childcare center, according to the Justice Department. The White House says Mahamud was featured in Shirley’s video. --- Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
