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US President Donald Trump is seen on a large screen during his address by video conference at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 23, 2025.
(Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
Capitalizing on Trump Corruption, Scammers Trick Davos Elites With Phony Pay-for-Access Scheme
"We encourage billionaires to be vigilant and only utilize the White House’s official pay-for-access operation," quipped the office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Jan 20, 2026
Scammers have succeeded in tricking global elites at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland into paying top dollar for false promises of access to US President Donald Trump, whose open corruption has astonished experts and watchdog organizations.
USA House, the main event venue for the US in Davos, posted a warning on Tuesday about scammers selling supposed "VIP access" to the site, which is scheduled to feature is scheduled to feature a speech by the president, as well as panels with CEOs and Trump administration officials.
"It has been brought to our attention that again this year external parties are selling 'VIP access to USA House' and other Stromback Global venues in Davos," the notice read. "USA House and Stromback Global do not work with any external resellers and we will not give access to people who purchased such packages."
The notice concluded by expressing "sympathies to those who fell victim to these scams."
The social media team of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom was quick to pounce on news of the scam, and wrote up their own mocking warning for Davos elites trying to get one-on-one time with the president.
"ALERT: Scammers are selling access to Trump at Davos," they wrote. "We encourage billionaires to be vigilant and only utilize the White House’s official pay-for-access operation."
Concerns about pay-for-access schemes have been prevalent throughout Trump's second term.
Shortly before returning to the White House last year, Trump launched his own official cryptocurrency, which raised immediate alarms about investors using it as a mechanism to bribe him.
In May, Trump hosted an exclusive dinner at one of his golf clubs in Virginia for the largest investors in his cryptocurrency, who spent a combined $148 million on Trump meme coins, according to CNBC.
Trump also drew allegations of corruption in October when he pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance who pleaded guilty to money-laundering charges in 2023, after he had helped boost the value of Trump's meme coin months earlier.
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Scammers have succeeded in tricking global elites at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland into paying top dollar for false promises of access to US President Donald Trump, whose open corruption has astonished experts and watchdog organizations.
USA House, the main event venue for the US in Davos, posted a warning on Tuesday about scammers selling supposed "VIP access" to the site, which is scheduled to feature is scheduled to feature a speech by the president, as well as panels with CEOs and Trump administration officials.
"It has been brought to our attention that again this year external parties are selling 'VIP access to USA House' and other Stromback Global venues in Davos," the notice read. "USA House and Stromback Global do not work with any external resellers and we will not give access to people who purchased such packages."
The notice concluded by expressing "sympathies to those who fell victim to these scams."
The social media team of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom was quick to pounce on news of the scam, and wrote up their own mocking warning for Davos elites trying to get one-on-one time with the president.
"ALERT: Scammers are selling access to Trump at Davos," they wrote. "We encourage billionaires to be vigilant and only utilize the White House’s official pay-for-access operation."
Concerns about pay-for-access schemes have been prevalent throughout Trump's second term.
Shortly before returning to the White House last year, Trump launched his own official cryptocurrency, which raised immediate alarms about investors using it as a mechanism to bribe him.
In May, Trump hosted an exclusive dinner at one of his golf clubs in Virginia for the largest investors in his cryptocurrency, who spent a combined $148 million on Trump meme coins, according to CNBC.
Trump also drew allegations of corruption in October when he pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance who pleaded guilty to money-laundering charges in 2023, after he had helped boost the value of Trump's meme coin months earlier.
Scammers have succeeded in tricking global elites at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland into paying top dollar for false promises of access to US President Donald Trump, whose open corruption has astonished experts and watchdog organizations.
USA House, the main event venue for the US in Davos, posted a warning on Tuesday about scammers selling supposed "VIP access" to the site, which is scheduled to feature is scheduled to feature a speech by the president, as well as panels with CEOs and Trump administration officials.
"It has been brought to our attention that again this year external parties are selling 'VIP access to USA House' and other Stromback Global venues in Davos," the notice read. "USA House and Stromback Global do not work with any external resellers and we will not give access to people who purchased such packages."
The notice concluded by expressing "sympathies to those who fell victim to these scams."
The social media team of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom was quick to pounce on news of the scam, and wrote up their own mocking warning for Davos elites trying to get one-on-one time with the president.
"ALERT: Scammers are selling access to Trump at Davos," they wrote. "We encourage billionaires to be vigilant and only utilize the White House’s official pay-for-access operation."
Concerns about pay-for-access schemes have been prevalent throughout Trump's second term.
Shortly before returning to the White House last year, Trump launched his own official cryptocurrency, which raised immediate alarms about investors using it as a mechanism to bribe him.
In May, Trump hosted an exclusive dinner at one of his golf clubs in Virginia for the largest investors in his cryptocurrency, who spent a combined $148 million on Trump meme coins, according to CNBC.
Trump also drew allegations of corruption in October when he pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance who pleaded guilty to money-laundering charges in 2023, after he had helped boost the value of Trump's meme coin months earlier.
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