Fact-check · Oct 30, 2026 · Scott Bessent
“Treasury returned a 175,000,000 in payments that would have gone to deceased individuals”
TRUE
What the record shows
Treasury identified and returned approximately 13,500 payments totaling $175 million that would have gone to deceased individuals in fiscal year 2026, per official Treasury Department announcement.
Official Treasury press release confirms $175M figure for FY2026 payments blocked before disbursement to deceased individuals through Do Not Pay program.
Sources
- Millions saved by blocking dead people payouts as Trump Treasury drops hammer on federal fraud
- Treasury Department Finds $175 Million Was Accidentally Going to Be Sent to Dead People
- Treasury Reports Major Progress in Preventing Fraud and Improper Payments
- Treasury expands anti-fraud system and blocks $175 million in payments to deceased individuals
- Trump's Treasury Halts 175 Million Dollars In Payments To Dead Recipients Under New Anti-fraud Law - Financial Freedom Countdown
- 4 suspects accused of targeting Americans in $41M fraud scheme: FBI
From: Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent Holds a Fraud Task Force Press Conference in St. Cloud, MN
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