Trump gives Nick Shirley $10,000 and launches $25 million fraud tip program
The Trump administration is giving right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley $10,000 and launching a $25 million WHIP program for public fraud tips.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Donald Trump and JD Vance are giving right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley $10,000.
- The administration launched the $25 million Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP).
- The program places a special emphasis on hospice, home healthcare, daycares, and special services.
- Tips leading to convictions could yield up to $30,000 or a 1 percent commission of recovered funds according to Trump.
US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday that the Trump administration is awarding right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley $10,000 while launching a $25 million bounty program aimed at encouraging members of the public to report fraud.
In December 2025, Shirley published a viral video alleging fraud at daycares in Minnesota operated by members of the local Somali community. Shirley loitered in parking lots and requested entry into childcare centers, treating refusals as proof that the facilities weren't actually caring for children. The video quickly went viral, prompting federal immigration agents to descend on the Minneapolis area while the Trump administration froze Minnesota's federal childcare funding.
Shirley has since traveled to other US states under similar pretenses, showing up unannounced at grocery stores and hospice centers to hunt for evidence of fraud. Vance and other administration officials have publicly praised Shirley, cementing his status in the MAGA-aligned content creator ecosystem where independent journalism involves confronting suspected businesses or individuals on camera, often resulting in harassment or immigration crackdowns.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The integration of content creators into political fraud-hunting campaigns represents an evolving shift in digital-era governance and public outreach. By leveraging viral internet personalities, administrations can bypass traditional communication channels to mobilize public scrutiny and generate rapid political momentum. However, this approach frequently blurs the line between formal investigative journalism and unregulated public confrontation, raising questions about due process and community impact.
The administration informed Fox News that it is rolling out the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP), establishing a $25 million pool open to anyone who believes they have witnessed fraud. A government website notes that a particular emphasis is placed on fraud within hospice care, home healthcare, daycares, and special services.
A chatbot designed to gather responses instructs reporters to briefly describe what they observed in a few sentences while including names, dates, amounts, or records if available, along with any uncertain details.
According to Fox News and the reporting portal, members of the public who flag fraud are eligible to receive up to $30,000 if their tips lead to a conviction or significant federal action. However, speaking on Tuesday, Donald Trump contradicted the stated $30,000 ceiling.
"If you turn somebody in and ... you find $1 billion, we are giving a commission to that person of 1 percent. And if it's $10 billion, $200 billion, $400 billion, we're giving a 1 percent commission to that person."
Donald Trump
The White House did not immediately clarify how the $10,000 payment to Shirley was calculated or how the broader program is being funded.
Shirley's methodologies have faced heavy criticism, particularly in Minnesota, where extensive fraud investigations were already underway prior to his arrival. He accused businesses of faking childcare services based on little more than denied entry, acting as if his video served as the state's initial fraud investigation. Subsequent visits by state officials to the targeted centers revealed they were operating as expected.
Source: The Verge
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