Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed new and troubling details this week about the scope of fraud investigations underway in Minnesota, alleging that a defendant in a large fraud case attempted to bribe a juror with six figures in cash.
Speaking about ongoing enforcement actions, Bessent said that a fraud suspect connected to a Minnesota case attempted to corrupt the judicial process by offering $120,000 to a juror. According to Bessent, investigators later discovered the individual responsible for delivering the bribe had allegedly been given $200,000, but kept a significant portion of the money for herself.
“As it turned out, the person tasked with delivering the bribe skimmed roughly $80,000,” Bessent said, underscoring what he described as the depth of corruption surrounding the case.
While court documents have not yet been made public detailing the alleged bribery attempt, Bessent emphasized that such behavior highlights why the Trump administration is escalating its anti-fraud enforcement strategy — not just against financial crimes, but against efforts to undermine the justice system itself.
Bessent announced that the administration is preparing to roll out an expanded whistleblower incentive program, aimed at encouraging insiders to come forward with information.
“We are going to put a whistleblower program into effect,” Bessent said. “And my sense is that once that happens, people involved in these schemes will begin turning on each other.”
Federal investigators continue to pursue multiple fraud cases tied to misuse of taxpayer funds, and officials say any attempt to interfere with juries or judicial proceedings will be treated as a serious federal offense.
