Yahoo Boys: Trump Demands Tougher Jail Terms for Fraudsters Targeting Americans, Video Trends
- Donald Trump called on Congress to pass legislation imposing mandatory minimum sentences on 'Yahoo Boys' and other people who steal from government benefit programmes
- The proposal would eliminate probation as a sentencing option and double prison terms for repeat offenders
- State and local politicians who knowingly ignored fraud they had the power to stop could face personal financial liability under the plan
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering global affairs.
Washington, USA - United States President Donald Trump has threatened lengthy prison sentences for anyone caught defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, while also warning that politicians who turn a blind eye to the theft could be held personally responsible for the losses.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the menace of Yahoo Boys, a popular term for young internet fraudsters in Nigeria who engage in online scams.
Source: Facebook
Trump unveiled the proposal in a video released on Saturday, urging Congress to pass legislation that would introduce mandatory minimum sentences for benefit programme fraud.
The move would strip courts of the option to sentence offenders to probation.
"Under our proposal, probation is no longer an option for the fraudsters. If you steal from the American people, you will go to prison and for a long period of time," Trump said.
Trump warns serial fraudsters
President Trump said sentence lengths would be tied directly to how much money was stolen. Repeat offenders would face even harsher consequences, with their sentences doubled upon a second conviction.
"And the more you steal, the longer you'll stay in that prison. Not only that, but if you're a convicted fraudster who gets caught stealing from the American people a second time, your sentence will be doubled," he said.
Trump warns officials who ignore fraud
Beyond targeting individual fraudsters, Trump's proposal extends to public officials at the state and local level who were aware of fraudulent activity but chose not to act on it.
"Under our proposal, if a state or local politician knows about fraud and has the ability to stop it, but does nothing about it, they can be personally liable for the full loss of the American taxpayers' money that they should have stopped and they should have saved," Trump said.
He framed the measures as a dual deterrent, one aimed at those committing fraud and another at officials who might otherwise look the other way.
"This legislative proposal will make fraudsters think long and hard before they keep stealing from the American people and will make crooked and corrupt politicians think also long and hard before they ignore fraud that they can stop and that they should stop," he said.
Medicare and Medicaid are federal health coverage programmes for eligible Americans, while Social Security provides benefits such as retirement income to qualifying citizens.
Trump closed the announcement with a direct warning:
"So from now on, fraudsters, we're watching you."
Watch Trump's viral video below via the X post:
Read more on Donald Trump
- Trump revokes secret service protection for Kamala Harris
- Trump immigration crackdown: Pastor who has lived in USA for 24 years arrested by ICE
White House reacts to rumours of Trump’s 'death'
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that White House confirmed that Trump is alive, after a brief social media announcement about Vice President JD Vance holding a press briefing sent parts of the internet into a frenzy.
Trump, who returned to the White House in January 2025 after winning the 2024 election, is 80 years old and the oldest person ever elected US president.
Close-up photographs circulating online appeared to show bruising on his right hand, visible swelling around his lower legs and ankles, and his visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre drew attention each time.
Source: Legit.ng
