FORT BRAGG, NC — A U.S. Army special forces soldier has been charged with using classified information to make more than $400,000 by betting on the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Federal prosecutors say Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke used insider knowledge from a planned U.S. military operation to place bets on the prediction market Polymarket shortly before Maduro’s capture was announced.
Authorities allege Van Dyke placed roughly $33,000 in wagers predicting U.S. intervention and Maduro’s removal, all while having access to nonpublic operational details. After the January raid, those bets reportedly paid out more than $400,000.
Investigators say the soldier then attempted to conceal the profits by routing funds through foreign cryptocurrency accounts before transferring them into a brokerage account. The unusual trades were flagged by Polymarket, which referred the case to federal authorities and cooperated with the investigation.
Van Dyke faces multiple charges, including wire fraud, commodities fraud, theft of government information, and unlawful use of classified material. Officials emphasized that military personnel are prohibited from using sensitive information for personal gain.
The case is believed to be the first criminal prosecution involving insider trading on a prediction market, raising new concerns about how such platforms can be exploited.
Lawmakers are now considering new regulations targeting financial prediction markets tied to political or military events.
Sources:
- ABC News – MBFC Rating
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