US Soldier Charged After Allegedly Profiting From Classified Intelligence In Maduro Operation
US soldier allegedly used classified Maduro operation information to place bets, earning over $400,000 before arrest.
US soldier allegedly used classified Maduro operation information to place bets, earning over $400,000 before arrest.
A United States special forces soldier was charged after allegedly using classified information linked to a military operation in Venezuela to profit from prediction-market wagers involving the removal of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The US Department of Justice said Gannon Ken Van Dyke, an active-duty Army soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, made more than $400,000 from trades placed on Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction platform.
Officials alleged that Van Dyke participated in the planning and execution of a covert mission known as Operation Absolute Resolve, which led to Maduro’s capture during a night-time raid in Caracas on January 3. He was said to have had access to sensitive, non-public information about the operation.
Prosecutors claimed Van Dyke created a Polymarket account in late December 2025 and placed multiple bets predicting Maduro’s removal from power before the information became public. Authorities said he made around 13 bets totaling more than $33,000 while still holding classified knowledge of the operation.
The Justice Department stated that the soldier’s actions amounted to unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, alongside charges of wire fraud, commodities fraud, and illegal monetary transactions.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stressed that military personnel are strictly prohibited from using classified intelligence for financial benefit, saying such information is entrusted solely for mission effectiveness and national security purposes.
US Attorney Jay Clayton added that prediction markets cannot be used as “a haven” for exploiting non-public government information.
According to prosecutors, Van Dyke had signed nondisclosure agreements barring him from revealing or misusing any classified operational details.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed a separate civil complaint, reinforcing concerns about insider trading in emerging digital prediction markets.
Polymarket confirmed it had referred suspicious activity to authorities and cooperated fully with the investigation, stating that insider trading “has no place” on its platform.
The case has drawn wider attention in Washington, with officials warning that the expansion of prediction markets raises new risks around the misuse of sensitive national security information.
US President Donald Trump said he was not immediately aware of the case but added that he was “not happy” about such developments and would look into the issue.
Van Dyke now faces multiple federal charges and could face significant prison time if convicted.
