A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier has been indicted on multiple federal charges after prosecutors alleged he used classified military information to profit from prediction market bets tied to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
According to the Department of Justice, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a 38-year-old from North Carolina, participated in the planning and execution of a covert military operation known as “Operation Absolute Resolve.” That mission led to the apprehension of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in early January 2026. Prosecutors say Van Dyke had access to sensitive, nonpublic information about the operation as part of his duties.
Authorities allege that in late December 2025, Van Dyke created an account on Polymarket, a prediction market platform where users wager on real-world events. He then began placing a series of trades on outcomes related to Venezuela and potential U.S. military action. Over roughly a dozen wagers, he took positions predicting both U.S. involvement in Venezuela and Maduro’s removal by a specific deadline.
Investigators say Van Dyke risked a little over $33,000 across these trades. After the operation unfolded and Maduro was captured, the relevant contracts resolved in his favor, resulting in profits of approximately $409,000.
Prosecutors further allege that after receiving the winnings, Van Dyke moved funds through cryptocurrency channels and into a newly opened brokerage account. He also allegedly attempted to obscure his identity by requesting deletion of his trading account and claiming loss of access to the associated email address.
The indictment includes charges of unlawful use of confidential government information, theft of nonpublic information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions. Federal authorities say the case represents a breach of trust by a service member who was obligated to protect classified material.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that military personnel are prohibited from using sensitive national security information for personal financial gain, adding that existing laws apply regardless of emerging platforms such as prediction markets.
Regulators and lawmakers have taken notice of the case. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission separately filed a civil complaint, seeking penalties and trading bans, while congressional lawmakers have proposed new legislation aimed at preventing government employees from engaging in prediction market trades involving nonpublic information.
Polymarket said it cooperated with investigators after detecting suspicious activity, stating that insider trading has no place on its platform.
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