There’s a new breed of criminal in America, and they’re not hiding in shadows or dark alleys. They’re on Instagram and X, bragging about their crimes to thousands of followers while stealing millions from taxpayers. The Trump administration has a name for them: “fraudfluencers,” according to Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito.
D’Esposito is sounding the alarm about a growing cottage industry of online scammers who openly boast about exploiting government programs, as reported by Fox News Digital. These aren’t petty thieves working alone. They’ve built followings, offer services to help others commit fraud, and take a cut of the stolen benefits. “This isn’t just a crime — it’s a deliberate and public betrayal of every hardworking American who plays by the rules,” D’Esposito told Fox News Digital. “Fraud is not a trend or content; it’s theft of taxpayer dollars, and it will be prosecuted.”
The Trump administration’s approach marks a sharp break from the previous era. Where before fraud was treated as an acceptable cost of doing business in a welfare state, this administration is treating it as what it is: theft from the American people. The message to the fraudfluencers is clear — your followers won’t protect you from federal prison.
Providence watches over the bold.
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