On January 29, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that a whistleblower was awarded $1 million for reporting antitrust and fraudulent activity at the online car-buying platform EBLOCK Corporation. This is the first payout awarded as part of the DOJ Antitrust Division’s new whistleblower rewards program. The corporation was charged with antitrust and violations under the Sherman Act and agreed to pay a $3.28 million criminal fine.
Fraudulent activity ensued when EBLOCK acquired Company A, another online auction site for used vehicles. Company A had existing instances of bid rigging and fraud during the acquisition, and EBLOCK did not take immediate action to end the fraudulent activity. For two subsequent years, individuals at Company A conspired with Company B to eliminate competition for used vehicles sold on Company A’s online platform. In addition, EBLOCK did not take action to end Company A’s practice of placing false bids on used vehicles in order to increase the sale price, or “shill bidding.” As part of Companies A and B’s scheme, various documents were sent through the U.S. mail to facilitate actions such as sharing bidding information, allowing access to buyers’ and seller’s confidential bidding information and misrepresenting the identities of fake bidders.
“Whistleblowers play a critical role in helping law enforcement to identify and investigate a wide variety of criminal activities,” said Acting Assistant Director Mark Remily of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “In this case, information from a whistleblower led to the identification and dismantlement of a criminal antitrust conspiracy that if, unreported, would have continued to harm American consumers who were unknowingly overpaying for automobiles.”
This reward marks the first-ever payout from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division’s new whistleblower rewards program. In July, the DOJ announced a partnership with the United States Postal Service (USPS) that rewards individuals who report antitrust violations and other related offenses. Whistleblower advocates praised the DOJ for helping whistleblowers do the right thing despite of potential retaliation.
Stephen Kohn, leading whistleblower attorney and Chairman of the National Whistleblower Center, remarks that program is “a monumental step forward. We hope that this sends a message to other federal programs that whistleblowing works and is the cornerstone for effective oversight and accountability.”
According to whistleblower experts, incentivizing reporting through rewards programs will increase the number of future claims, encouraging more people to speak up against fraudulent activity.
