A United States special forces soldier now faces charges after investigators accused him of using secret military information to place bets linked to a mission involving Nicolás Maduro. BBC
A United States special forces soldier now faces serious charges after authorities accused him of using classified military information to place high-value bets. Officials say he knew details about an operation involving Venezuela’s former leader before the public learned about it.
The US Department of Justice has charged Gannon Ken Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Investigators claim he used insider knowledge to make large profits through a crypto-based prediction platform.
Betting tied to secret mission
According to officials, Van Dyke took part in a military operation that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The mission took place during a late-night raid in Caracas on January 3. Authorities later brought the couple to New York, where they now face allegations related to weapons and drugs. They deny these claims.
Prosecutors say Van Dyke placed bets on the timing and outcome of the operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve. They believe he acted with the goal of making money from information that remained classified at the time.
Large winnings raise concerns
Investigators allege that Van Dyke created an account on a prediction platform in late December 2025. He then began placing trades connected to events in Venezuela. Officials claim he wagered more than $33,000 while holding sensitive information about the mission.
These bets reportedly earned him over $409,000. Authorities argue that such actions break federal law because they involve insider trading.
"That is clear insider trading and is illegal under federal law," justice department officials said.
Platform cooperates with investigation
The platform involved stated that it took action after noticing unusual activity. In a public message, it said: "When we identified a user trading on classified government information, we referred the matter to the DOJ & cooperated with their investigation."
The company also added: "Insider trading has no place on Polymarket. Today's arrest is proof the system works."
Multiple charges filed
Van Dyke now faces several charges, including misuse of confidential government information, fraud, and unlawful financial transactions. Prosecutors also accuse him of stealing nonpublic information for personal gain.
Officials stress that military personnel must follow strict rules when handling sensitive information. Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "Our men and women in uniform are trusted with classified information in order to accomplish their mission as safely and effectively as possible, and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain."
Growing concern over prediction markets
Authorities have also raised concerns about the rise of online prediction platforms. US Attorney Jay Clayton stated that such platforms cannot be used as safe spaces for illegal activity.
At the same time, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has filed a separate complaint, accusing Van Dyke of insider trading.
President Donald Trump said he had not yet reviewed the case but would look into it. Speaking about prediction markets more broadly, he said, "I'm not happy with any of that stuff."
He added that betting activities have spread widely across the world and expressed concern about their growing influence.
