Exclusive | Fraud whistleblowers could make millions as Bessent cracks down on sprawling scams

Uncle Sam needs you to help crush the billion-dollar financial fraud gangs.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is launching a new program on Monday that will reward tipsters with up to 30% of the fines imposed on criminals who are trying to bleed US taxpayers dry, The Post has learned.The program includes tips for Medicaid and Medicare rip-offs — and given that fraud in those two programs tops some $70 billion per year according to one estimate, whistleblowers could be in for some big payouts.Other forms of financial crimes are also included.The move comes after Bessent visited Minnesota in January, which had become ground zero for a sprawling web of scams by Somali immigrants, who allegedly ripped off government welfare programs to the tune of at least $9 billion since 2018.The payments will come directly from fines, rather than having the American taxpayers foot the bill, according to confidential Treasury documents obtained by The Post.“Individuals located in the United States or abroad who provide information may be eligible for awards if the information they provide leads to a successful enforcement action that results in monetary penalties exceeding $1,000,000,” one of the documents reads.It would mirror a similar scheme run by the Internal Revenue Service, which is also overseen by the Treasury Department.The 63-year-old former hedge fund mogul’s idea is to pay informants 10-30% of the proceeds when criminals are slapped with fines of more than $1 million.The Treasury Department’s move also follows an executive order signed by President Trump in March 2025 that vowed a government-wide zero-tolerance approach to such fraud.

Vice President JD Vance on Friday held the inaugural meeting of a new anti-fraud task force he’s leading — as the administration moves to crack down on abuse of social programs.A memo obtained by The Post reveals that Bessent will also put US banks on high alert, warning that sophisticated fraudsters are even recruiting foreign ...