A US special forces soldier has been charged with insider trading after allegedly using classified information about the military operation that captured former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro to win more than $409,000 on a cryptocurrency prediction market.
BBC reported that Gannon Ken Van Dyke, an active-duty Army soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, faces multiple federal charges including unlawful use of confidential government information and commodities fraud. The charges were unsealed on Thursday.
Van Dyke is accused of placing bets on Polymarket, a crypto-powered prediction platform, on or about December 26, 2025, while involved in planning Operation Absolute Resolve. The operation culminated in a night-time raid on January 3 that seized Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their Caracas compound and brought them to New York to face weapons and drug-trafficking charges, which they deny.
According to the US Department of Justice, Van Dyke wagered more than $33,000 on markets related to Maduro’s removal while possessing non-public classified details. “That is clear insider trading and is illegal under federal law,” justice department officials stated.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasised the breach of trust. “Our men and women in uniform are trusted with classified information in order to accomplish their mission as safely and effectively as possible, and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain,” he said.
He added that while widespread access to prediction markets is relatively new, “federal laws protecting national security information fully apply.”
Polymarket said it identified the suspicious trading, referred the matter to authorities and cooperated fully with the investigation. “Insider trading has no place on Polymarket. Today’s arrest is proof the system works,” the platform stated on social media.
President Donald Trump, when asked about the case, said he had not heard about it but would look into the matter. He expressed broader unease about prediction markets, remarking: “The whole world, unfortunately, has become somewhat of a casino.”
Van Dyke signed non-disclosure agreements as part of his role and is accused of violating them for personal profit. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed a civil complaint against him.
The case highlights growing concerns over the potential misuse of sensitive information on online prediction platforms. Van Dyke is expected to appear in the Southern District of New York, where the charges were filed.
The soldier’s alleged actions have raised questions about oversight of prediction markets and the protection of classified military information. No plea has been entered and the case remains ongoing.
