The Kabul Tribune (KT) — CBS News reported that a U.S. special forces soldier has been arrested for allegedly using classified information to place bets on the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro before the operation was publicly announced.
According to the report, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Gannon Ken
Van Dyke is accused of wagering more than $33,000 on the prediction platform
Polymarket shortly before Donald Trump announced in January that Maduro had
been captured. The bets reportedly resulted in winnings exceeding $409,000.
Federal prosecutors in New York charged Van Dyke with
multiple offenses, including unlawful use of confidential government
information, fraud, and engaging in financial transactions derived from illegal
activity.
The U.S. Justice Department said Van Dyke was involved in
planning and executing the operation and allegedly exploited sensitive
information for personal financial gain.
Officials said he served as a communications specialist with
the Joint Special Operations Command and had been on active duty since 2008. At
the time of the alleged offenses, he was stationed at Fort Bragg in North
Carolina.
Investigators said the suspect later attempted to conceal his
identity, including requesting deletion of his account from the betting
platform.
Polymarket said it identified suspicious activity and
referred the case to authorities, adding that insider trading has no place on
its platform.
Trump, speaking to reporters, said he was not previously
aware of the alleged betting but would look into the matter, criticizing such
practices.
The case highlights growing concerns over the misuse of
sensitive information in emerging prediction markets, as authorities increasingly
scrutinize potential insider trading in digital betting platforms.
