Authorities Arrest Special Forces Soldier Who Allegedly Made $400k On Polymarket Bet Involving Maduro Operation

A typical forces worker progressive successful nan cognition that captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has been indicted by nan U.S. Justice Department. His alleged crime? Making galore bets connected nan prediction marketplace Polymarket that Maduro would beryllium removed from power, for which he is said to person made upwards of $400,000.

Authorities declare Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who was progressive successful nan “planning and execution” of Operation Absolute Resolve (the stratagem that toppled and captured nan Venezuelan leader), made bets connected Polymarket astir whether nan U.S. would deploy forces into Venezuela and region Maduro from power.

Van Dyke was arrested connected Thursday, CBS reports, citing a rule enforcement source.

Federal officials opportunity that Van Dyke’s wagers were informed by classified accusation he had entree to arsenic a consequence of being a authorities insider. The authorities notes that Van Dyke signed nondisclosure agreements prohibiting him from ever divulging, publishing, aliases revealing “by writing, words, conduct, aliases different . . . immoderate classified aliases delicate information” related to nan subject operations he was progressive with.

In December, Van Dyke created a Polymarket relationship and began making wagers involving “Maduro- and Venezuela-related markets,” officials say. Between Dec. 27, 2025 and Jan. 26 of this year, he allegedly made 13 bets totaling immoderate $33,034 successful full connected things for illustration “U.S. Forces successful Venezuela . . . by January 31, 2026” and “Maduro retired by . . . January 31, 2026.” Officials opportunity that, aft collecting his winnings, Van Dyke besides took steps to screen up his ties to nan relationship that made nan wagers.

Van Dyke faces a assortment of charges, including violating nan Commodity Exchange Act, ligament fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction.

“Our men and women successful azygous are trusted pinch classified accusation successful bid to execute their ngo arsenic safely and efficaciously arsenic possible, and are prohibited from utilizing this highly delicate accusation for individual financial gain,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Widespread entree to prediction markets is simply a comparatively caller phenomenon, but national laws protecting nationalist information accusation afloat apply.”

Prediction markets person inspired contention ever since their launch. But complete nan past year, nan sites person grown successful prominence and influence, striking deals pinch media outlets and sports organizations while besides seeing wide use, including by nationalist officials. Legislation is presently being mulled that would prohibition nationalist officials from utilizing nonpublic accusation to make bets connected prediction sites.