Victim Compensation Fund pays $18.56 billion for 9/11 claims

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) has paid out $18.56 billion in compensation to more than 77,000 claimants since its reopening in 2011. Administrator Allison Turkel reported that the fund continues to receive an average of 25 new applications per day.

Turkel, who was appointed by the Department of Justice in 2023, noted that an estimated 400,000 people may have been exposed to toxins in the exposure zones of New York, the Pentagon, or Pennsylvania. The fund is authorized to continue issuing payments until 2090.

To prevent fraud, the VCF employs rigorous verification processes, including individual reviews by specialists and checks with the FBI. The fund was reopened under the James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act following the closure of the original fund in 2004.