U.S. Soldier Arrested Over $400,000 Bet on Maduro’s Removal

U.S. federal authorities have arrested a special operations soldier accused of using classified information to make over $400,000 from betting on the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

According to the Department of Justice, Gannon Ken Van Dyke placed more than $33,000 in bets on prediction platform Polymarket shortly before former President Donald Trump announced Maduro’s capture. His wagers, including a major bet that Maduro would be out of office by January 31, reportedly yielded profits of over $409,000.

The suspicious timing of the trades triggered an investigation into possible insider activity. Prosecutors allege Van Dyke used confidential government information to place the bets and later attempted to cover his tracks by deleting accounts and altering linked details.

He has been charged with multiple offences, including misuse of classified information, fraud, and theft of government data.

While details of his role in the operation remain limited, investigators say Van Dyke was photographed aboard the USS Iwo Jima, the vessel used to transport Maduro after his capture.

Polymarket confirmed it flagged the unusual trading activity to authorities and cooperated with the investigation, stating that insider trading has no place on its platform.

The case is believed to be the first time U.S. prosecutors have pursued insider trading charges linked to prediction markets platforms where users bet on the outcome of real-world events.

Legal experts say the prosecution could test how existing financial laws apply to emerging technologies like prediction markets, which are still relatively new and may be difficult for juries to fully understand.