A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier has been charged after allegedly using classified military information to profit from online prediction bets linked to a secret operation targeting former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
According to the Department of Justice, 38-year-old Gannon Ken Van Dyke of North Carolina allegedly earned more than $400,000 after placing bets on the platform Polymarket based on nonpublic details about a U.S. operation he was involved in planning and executing.
Officials said Van Dyke used insider knowledge about the January 3 mission, which led to Maduro’s capture in Caracas, to wager on outcomes involving U.S. military action and the Venezuelan leader’s removal.
Authorities alleged that between late December 2025 and early January 2026, he placed multiple bets predicting U.S. forces would operate in Venezuela and that Maduro would be out of office by a set date.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stressed that service members are strictly prohibited from exploiting sensitive information for personal profit, saying classified access is granted only for mission purposes, not financial gain.
The DOJ also said the soldier attempted to move his winnings into cryptocurrency accounts and a brokerage platform after the operation.
Polymarket confirmed it flagged the suspicious activity and cooperated with investigators, stating that insider trading “has no place” on its platform.
Van Dyke now faces several charges, including wire fraud, commodities fraud, unlawful monetary transactions, and unauthorized use of classified government information. If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison sentence.
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