US soldier involved in Maduro abduction arrested for placing $400K bet on operation

• A US Army Special Forces soldier involved in the operation that abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been arrested.
• He is accused of placing insider bets on the outcome of the operation before it took place.
• Prosecutors say Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke used classified information to trade on the prediction platform Polymarket.

A US Army Special Forces soldier involved in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified information to place bets on the operation, allegedly earning more than $400,000, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Manhattan on multiple counts including fraud, theft of government information, and unlawful use of confidential intelligence for personal gain.

Prosecutors say Van Dyke used sensitive, nonpublic information about a covert US mission to wager on the prediction market Polymarket, betting that Maduro would be removed from power before January.

Bets placed ahead of covert operation

According to the indictment, Van Dyke opened a Polymarket account in late December and placed a series of 13 bets between December 27 and January 2.

He wagered approximately $32,000 on the outcome that Maduro would be “out” by early January,  a position considered a long shot at the time.

But prosecutors allege Van Dyke had direct knowledge of “planning and execution” details of what has been described as a covert US military mission, giving him a decisive advantage.

Hours after his final bet, US forces carried out an overnight operation in Caracas, abducting Maduro and transporting him to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima.

Profits routed through cryptocurrency

Authorities say Van Dyke’s bets ultimately generated more than $400,000 in profits.

He allegedly transferred the funds to a foreign cryptocurrency vault before moving them into an online brokerage account, in what prosecutors described as an attempt to conceal the origin of the money.

“This case marks a significant escalation in the misuse of sensitive government intelligence for financial gain,” prosecutors said.

The charges include commodities fraud and wire fraud, as well as engaging in unlawful financial transactions.

First insider trading case tied to prediction markets

The case appears to be the first time US authorities have brought insider trading-style charges involving a prediction market platform.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed parallel civil charges, seeking financial penalties and restitution.

In a statement, Todd Blanche said:

“Our men and women in uniform are trusted with classified information in order to accomplish their mission safely and effectively, and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain.”

Military role and evidence

Van Dyke has served in the US Army since 2008 and was most recently stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

As a master sergeant, a senior noncommissioned officer, he held a key leadership role, typically responsible for tactical oversight and maintaining standards within a unit.

Court documents cite a photograph uploaded to his personal account in the early hours of January 3, shortly after the operation. The image allegedly shows Van Dyke armed and in uniform aboard a military vessel at sunrise alongside other personnel.

White House and market response

Asked about the case, US President Donald Trump said he was unfamiliar with the details but compared it to a sports gambling scandal involving Pete Rose.

“That’s like Pete Rose betting on his own team,” Trump said. “If he bet against his team, that would be no good — but he bet on his own team. I’ll look into it.”

Polymarket said it had flagged the activity and referred it to authorities.

“Insider trading has no place on Polymarket,” the company said in a statement posted on X. “Today’s arrest is proof the system works.”

Broader implications

The case raises new questions about the intersection of national security, financial markets and emerging prediction platforms, where users can bet on real-world geopolitical outcomes.

It also underscores the risks posed when individuals with access to classified intelligence exploit that information in loosely regulated financial environments.

Van Dyke is expected to make his first court appearance in North Carolina. No defense attorney has yet been listed.

Maduro, who was brought to the United States following the operation, has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking-related charges.