Economy February 13, 2026

Treasury’s FinCEN Opens Whistleblower Portal, Offers Rewards for Tips on Fraud and Sanctions Violations

New webpage aims to confidentially collect leads on money laundering, sanctions breaches and benefit fraud following Treasury outreach in Minnesota

By Priya Menon
Treasury’s FinCEN Opens Whistleblower Portal, Offers Rewards for Tips on Fraud and Sanctions Violations

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has launched a dedicated webpage to accept confidential whistleblower tips on fraud, money laundering and violations of U.S. sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that eligible tips may receive financial awards, and tied the move to recent anti-fraud efforts highlighted during his Minnesota visit supporting actions against government benefits fraud.

Key Points

  • FinCEN has launched a dedicated webpage to confidentially accept whistleblower tips on fraud, money laundering and sanctions violations - impacts the financial sector and regulatory oversight.
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said eligible whistleblower tips may receive financial rewards if they lead to successful enforcement actions - could influence reporting incentives in banking and compliance functions.
  • Additional measures announced during Bessent’s Minnesota visit include investigations of Money Services Businesses, alerts to banks about fraud rings exploiting child nutrition programs, enhanced reporting to accelerate prosecutions, and an IRS task force targeting misuse by 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entities - affects nonprofits, food assistance programs and payments intermediaries.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on Friday published a new, dedicated webpage to confidentially receive whistleblower submissions related to fraud, money laundering and breaches of U.S. sanctions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department will provide monetary awards for eligible tips that lead to enforcement actions. He presented the initiative as part of a broader push to disrupt schemes that divert public funds, noting recent work to support efforts against government benefits fraud.

"President Trump has been clear that Americans have a right to know that their tax dollars are not being diverted to fund acts of global terror or to fund luxury cars for fraudsters," said Bessent. "At Treasury, we follow the money. We did it with the mafia, we have done it with the cartels, and we’re doing it with the Somali fraudsters."

Bessent’s announcement follows his visit to Minnesota last month, where he promoted President Trump’s push to counter government benefits fraud schemes that have reportedly cost taxpayers billions of dollars. During that visit, the Treasury Secretary introduced several supplemental anti-fraud measures.

Those measures include investigations of Money Services Businesses, enhanced reporting procedures intended to speed prosecutions, alerts to financial institutions about fraud rings exploiting child nutrition programs, and expanded law enforcement training. As part of the package, the Internal Revenue Service will stand up a dedicated fraud task force focused on alleged misuse of funds by 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations.

FinCEN’s Office of the Whistleblower is now accepting tips that relate to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, U.S. sanctions programs, and other statutes designed to protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system. Individuals who provide credible information and documentation may qualify for awards if their submissions lead to successful enforcement outcomes.

Authorities urge potential whistleblowers to submit detailed information and supporting documentation as soon as possible to strengthen the utility of a tip. More information about the program and the process for submitting tips is available at fincen.gov/whistleblower.


Implications and context

The new FinCEN webpage centralizes confidential reporting and adds an incentive component for insiders and others to come forward. The package of measures unveiled alongside the whistleblower portal signals coordinated action across Treasury and the IRS to identify and prosecute schemes that siphon public and private funds.

Risks

  • The effectiveness of the program depends on the quality and timeliness of tips; incomplete or late submissions may limit law enforcement outcomes - impacts investigators and prosecutorial timelines.
  • Increased scrutiny of Money Services Businesses and nonprofits could create compliance costs and operational uncertainty for those sectors as investigations and enforcement activity ramp up.
  • Alerts to financial institutions and accelerated reporting may strain compliance resources at banks and other regulated entities, particularly if fraud rings are widespread or complex.

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