A US Military soldier has been charged with utilizing categorized authorities data to revenue from prediction market bets, in keeping with an indictment unsealed by the US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York.
Authorities stated Gannon Ken Van Dyke faces a number of fees, together with illegal use of confidential authorities data for private achieve, theft of nonpublic authorities data, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and fascinating in an illegal financial transaction.
Contained in the $400K Guess
Prosecutors allege that Van Dyke used delicate categorized data obtained via his position in a US navy operation often called “Operation Absolute Resolve” to put bets on the prediction market Polymarket. The operation concerned the seize of Nicolás Maduro, and Van Dyke was a part of the planning and execution course of, which gave him entry to nonpublic particulars in regards to the mission.
Regardless of having signed nondisclosure agreements as a part of his navy duties, which explicitly prohibited him from sharing or utilizing categorized data, Van Dyke allegedly used that data for private monetary achieve.
In accordance with the indictment, between late December 2025 and early January 2026, Van Dyke created and funded a Polymarket account and positioned roughly 13 bets tied to outcomes associated to Venezuela and Maduro. These included contracts predicting whether or not US forces can be current in Venezuela by January 31, 2026, whether or not Maduro can be faraway from energy by that date, whether or not the US would invade Venezuela, and whether or not US President Donald Trump would invoke struggle powers in opposition to the nation.
All of Van Dyke’s positions reportedly backed the “YES” consequence on these occasions, and he wagered roughly $33,034 whereas in possession of categorized details about the operation. US particular forces apprehended Maduro and his spouse in Caracas through the early hours of January 3, 2026, and Trump introduced the profitable operation later that day. Polymarket then settled a number of associated contracts in Van Dyke’s favor, which resulted in massive winnings. Prosecutors allege his complete income reached roughly $409,881.
Van Dyke allegedly moved many of the funds to a overseas cryptocurrency vault and later transferred them right into a newly created on-line brokerage account. He additionally withdrew a good portion of his proceeds from Polymarket on the identical day because the operation.
As scrutiny round uncommon buying and selling exercise in Maduro-related contracts started to flow into in media experiences and on social platforms, Van Dyke allegedly took steps to cover his involvement. These actions included requesting the deletion of his Polymarket account beneath false pretenses and altering the e-mail related together with his cryptocurrency trade account to at least one not registered in his identify.
Van Dyke is scheduled to seem earlier than a US Justice of the Peace choose within the Japanese District of North Carolina. In an announcement, FBI Director Kash Patel stated,
“As we speak’s announcement makes clear nobody is above the legislation, and this FBI will do no matter it takes to defend the homeland and safeguard our nation’s secrets and techniques. Any clearance holders pondering of cashing of their entry and data for private achieve can be held accountable.”
Kalshi’s Election Betting Probe
In a separate case, Kalshi just lately suspended three US political candidates after discovering out they traded on the outcomes of elections during which they had been immediately concerned. The platform recognized Matt Klein, Ezekiel Enriquez, and Mark Moran as individuals. Klein and Enriquez every positioned trades value lower than $100 on their very own races, cooperated with the investigation, and accepted fines and five-year bans.
Moran, nonetheless, made a number of trades tied to his marketing campaign, together with earlier than formally asserting his candidacy, and later stopped partaking with investigators. He was issued a bigger penalty, ordered to return any income, and likewise banned for 5 years.
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