JD Vance Says Trump Administration Has Recovered Billions From Fraud Schemes

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that the Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts have helped recover or block roughly $160 billion tied to fraudulent government programs, loans, and contracts.

Speaking during a White House event alongside state attorneys general and administration officials, Vance highlighted a series of actions taken by the administration’s Anti-Fraud Task Force, which he co-chairs with Andrew Ferguson.

“We referred over $22 billion in fraudulent small business loans back to the Treasury for collection,” Vance said. “We deferred more than $1.3 billion in fraudulent Medicaid reimbursements, that were coming from various states, particularly California.”

The vice president also claimed the administration clawed back approximately $135 billion connected to fraud that exploded during the COVID-era relief period, arguing that emergency government spending opened the door to widespread abuse.

“And finally, we’ve blocked $60 million in student aid fraud that should have gone to young people trying to get an education, but instead were going to fraudsters,” Vance added.

The White House Anti-Fraud Task Force has become a major messaging priority for the administration ahead of the midterm elections, with Trump officials repeatedly arguing that government waste, abuse, and corruption flourished under prior administrations.

During the meeting, Ferguson argued that fraud has contributed to the erosion of public trust across the country.

“It’s why deodorant is now locked behind plastic windows at pharmacies. It’s why security guards are seen at every store in America,” Ferguson said. “The social trust has evaporated and people are taking advantage of it.”

Justice Department officials also detailed recent enforcement actions targeting large-scale Medicaid and benefits fraud schemes.

Colin McDonald said the DOJ’s newly created fraud enforcement division has launched more than 450 actions in just 50 days.

According to McDonald, the cases include charges connected to a $650 million Medicaid fraud scheme involving sober homes in Arizona, as well as a guilty plea tied to a separate $270 million Medicaid fraud operation in California.

The administration has increasingly focused on fraud investigations involving Medicaid, COVID relief programs, small business loans, and federal education aid, while warning states that fail to aggressively investigate abuse could face consequences tied to federal funding.