U.S. Special Forces Soldier Charged with Insider Trading on Maduro Capture

A U.S. Army Master Sergeant involved in the January operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been arrested and charged with using classified information to profit from online betting.

According to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke placed bets totaling over $33,000 on the prediction market Polymarket, wagering that Maduro would be removed from office by January 31, 2026. These bets resulted in winnings exceeding $409,000.

Van Dyke faces multiple charges, including unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and engaging in monetary transactions from unlawful activity.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated, "Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain."

Polymarket, the platform used for the bets, cooperated with authorities, stating, "Insider trading has no place on Polymarket. Today's arrest is proof the system works."

President Trump, when asked about the incident, compared it to sports betting scandals, remarking, "That's like Pete Rose betting on his own team."

This case marks the first time U.S. authorities have charged an individual for using classified information to profit from prediction markets, highlighting growing concerns over insider trading in such platforms.