Vice President J.D. Vance just dropped a political grenade: the US government basically ignores fraud under $1.5 million, but he’s promising a crackdown on the big fish.
“We do not prosecute fraud in this country if it’s under $1.5 million dollars per year,” Vance said in an interview with YouTuber Benny Johnson.
Vance emphasized that a new task force will work to commit the Department of Justice to investigating all fraud, making sure higher-level individuals who evade justice can be held accountable.
He also commented on recent fraud in Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community, suggesting that local politicians may have looked the other way, or even helped the schemes occur.
Vance said the effort will involve making arrests where necessary and focusing on ensuring that large-scale fraud does not go unpunished.
The comments have drawn attention for their blunt acknowledgment of enforcement thresholds and the political dimensions of fraud cases.