What the federal fraud whistleblower program really pays

The official rules, the President's statements and every other federal reward program, in one calculator. Every figure links to its source.

$10,000–$30,000 per tip under the DOJ rules, paid when the tip leads to criminal charges
1%, no cap as stated by President Trump on Oct. 20, 2026, not in the published rules
15–30% of the recovery under the False Claims Act, for larger cases

Checked against official sources October 20, 2026

The program in numbers

Program fund

$25M

Committed by Treasury · DOJ release

Award per tip

$10K–$30K

DOJ terms

Awards paid so far

$10K total · see the list

DOJ fraud announcements

1,687

Since January 20, 2025 · search

What the Task Force says it has found

Figures reported by partner agencies to the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, covering January 2025 onward, as published on the White House Fraud Ledger. They are the administration's own estimates, not audited totals.

Fraud uncovered

$260.7B

Estimated fraud identified through data analysis

Fraud stopped per year

$72.0B

Annualized savings from suspensions and rule changes

Fraud enforced

$58.9B

Indictments, settlements and penalties

Source: The White House, The Fraud Ledger, read October 20, 2026.

Guides

Trump's announcement, line by line

What the President said on Oct. 20 and what the official rules actually say.

1% or $30,000?

Why the stated commission and the DOJ award cap differ, and which one applies.

How to submit a tip

The official reporting path, eligibility rules and what disqualifies you.

WHIP vs False Claims Act

Five federal reward programs compared: rates, thresholds, lawyers, timing.

Awards paid

Every WHIP award announced so far, with date, amount and source.

Nick Shirley's $10,000

How a daycare video became the program's first payout, with a dated timeline.

Fraud case database

1,687 DOJ benefits fraud announcements, filterable by state, program and stage.

How to report fraud, by program

Latest federal benefits fraud cases

Date	Case	State	Program	Amount
2026-10-20	Urbandale Business Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for PPP Loan Fraud and Bankruptcy Fraud	Iowa	PPP/EIDL	$266K
2026-10-20	Pompano Beach Woman Convicted of Stealing $152,000 in in Social Security Benefits Following Great-Aunt's Death	Florida	Social Security	$152K
2026-10-20	Illinois Laboratory Owner Charged in $66M COVID-19 Testing Fraud Scheme	Illinois	MedicareMedicaid	$66.2M
2026-10-16	Waipahu Women Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Pandemic and Tax Fraud While Earning Millions from an Unlicensed Construction Business	Hawaii	Unemployment	$1M
2026-10-16	Two Plead Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Conspiracy	California	Unemployment	—
2026-10-16	Two Florida defendants sentenced to prison for nearly $900,000 health care scam	Kansas	Medicare	$897K
2026-10-16	Somerset Lifesciences Inc. Agrees to Pay $4M to Resolve Allegations of Causing Medicare to Pay Claims for its Mislabeled Generic Drug	Multi-state	Medicare	$4M
2026-10-16	New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Relief Program Fraud Offense	Connecticut	Other federal program	—

Source: U.S. Department of Justice press releases. Charges are allegations. Search all 1,687 announcements

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program pay?

Under the Justice Department's rules, awards range from $10,000 to $30,000, paid when a tip leads to criminal charges. President Trump said on October 20, 2026 that tipsters would receive a 1% commission with no limit, but that figure does not appear in the DOJ rules.

Is the 1% fraud reward real?

The 1% commission was stated by President Trump in the Oval Office. The DOJ's written terms describe a fixed award of $10,000 to $30,000 per tip, and Treasury has committed $25 million to the program. Until the DOJ changes its rules, the published range is what the program says it pays.

Where do I report fraud to get the reward?

Through the official America.gov fraud reporting form, which fraud.gov and whitehouse.gov/fraud point to. Reporting is free. This site does not accept reports.

Can I get more than $30,000 for reporting fraud?

Yes, through other programs. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers who file a qui tam lawsuit receive 15% to 30% of what the government recovers. The IRS, SEC and FinCEN programs pay 10% to 30% above their thresholds.

Who got the first WHIP award?

Nick Shirley, the independent journalist whose December 2025 video on Minnesota daycare centers was followed by a surge of federal investigators, received a $10,000 check in the Oval Office on October 20, 2026. No DOJ document has yet described that award.