How to Make Billions from Exposing Fraud | E2234

How to Make Billions from Exposing Fraud | E2234

Author: Jason Calacanis January 14, 2026 Duration: 1:05:16

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Today’s show: 


Government fraud and waste has become a prominent issue in the last month.


That’s what we are looking at.


On Today’s episode of TWiST, Jason interviews Alex Shieh of the The Antifraud Company.


Under the False Claims Act, enterprising Americans, like Alex, can receive up to 30% of fraud dollars they uncover! Jason digs into the business of fraud with Alex Shieh and how a generational company could be built around it!


PLUS Alex Wilhelm and Marcus Brotman take a look at the history of BOOM, $1.5 Billion dollar startup bringing back supersonic commercial travel!

Jason first interviewed Blake Scholl almost 10 years ago in 2016. Back then, BOOM was a dream to bringing back supersonic travel. The Concorde’s failure, and why BOOM is different, is central to Blake’s thinking. What is fascinating is Blake’s mindset and vision for the early stages of this future unicorn startup.


THEN, Jason answers live Q/A at Founder University Tokyo! In partnership with JETRO, Jason and the LAUNCH team are bringing Founder University to 35 Japanese startups over the next 9 weeks!


Timestamps:


(00:00) Why the Concorde failed and how BOOM Supersonic is bringing back faster than light travel


(08:34) The 30% efficiency rule for Mach 2 flights


(11:46) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist


(17:12) Building million dollar planes on a startup budget


(20:22) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist


(24:11) The Checklist Manifesto: Lessons for pilots and founders!


(26:02) How to build a team that can go supersonic


(32:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist


(33:55) Private Sector Doge: The Anti Fraud Company


(38:48) The $500B in Fraud uncovered


(48:34) How Alex Shieh’s team uses AI to hunt down fraud


(52:48) How you can win 30% of exposed fraud with the false claims Act


(56:27) Founder University Tokyo Q&A


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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/


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Thank you to our partners:


(11:46) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist


(20:22) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist


(32:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist


Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/


Every week, Jason Calacanis dives headfirst into the swirling vortex of Silicon Valley and global tech with This Week in Startups. It’s a direct line to the conversations shaping our digital future, moving far beyond surface-level news. You’ll hear Jason’s unfiltered analysis on everything from market shifts and media trends to the underlying mechanics of building a business, all delivered with a blend of enthusiasm and seasoned skepticism. The core of this podcast, however, lies in the guests. Jason sits down with the very people driving change-founders who have scaled impossible heights, operators managing daily chaos, and investors who spot trends before they become obvious. These conversations are less like formal interviews and more like insider debriefs, pulling back the curtain on real strategies, painful failures, and unexpected successes. For anyone curious about how technology is built, funded, and ultimately changes the world, this series offers a front-row seat. It’s the context behind the headlines, providing a deeper understanding of the forces at play in startups and technology. Tune in for a consistently engaging and insightful look at the ecosystem, straight from someone who lives and breathes it.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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