US soldier arrested over alleged insider betting on Maduro operation

A United States Army soldier has been arrested and charged for allegedly using classified information to place bets on an online prediction platform related to a US military operation targeting former Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro.

 

The US Department of Justice, in a statement on Thursday, identified the suspect as Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, based in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

 

According to prosecutors, Van Dyke allegedly earned more than $400,000 by placing bets on Polymarket, predicting outcomes tied to a US operation in Caracas, including the reported capture of Maduro—an operation he was said to have helped plan.

 

Justice officials said the US military carried out strikes in Venezuela’s capital on January 3, leading to the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were subsequently taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

 

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche condemned the alleged act, stating, “Our men and women in uniform are trusted with classified information… and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain.”

 

Polymarket confirmed it flagged the suspicious account to authorities and cooperated with the investigation.

 

“Insider trading has no place on Polymarket… Today’s arrest is proof the system works,” the platform said.

 

Van Dyke faces one count of wire fraud, one count of unlawful monetary transaction, and three counts of violating the Commodity Exchange Act. If convicted, he could face up to 50 years in prison.

 

The case adds to growing scrutiny over the use of insider information in prediction markets, with earlier reports indicating that several accounts made significant profits by correctly betting on US military actions in the Middle East.

 

Authorities say investigations into related activities are ongoing.