A US special forces soldier who allegedly made more than 400,000 USD by betting on the removal of Nicolás Maduro has been arrested and charged by federal authorities. The accused has been identified as Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who reportedly used classified information from a military operation he was directly involved in to place bets on a prediction market platform.

According to officials, Van Dyke wagered approximately 33,034 USD on the outcome of the operation via Polymarket, ultimately earning profits exceeding 409,000 USD. Authorities revealed that he participated in both the planning and execution of the US mission to capture Maduro, giving him access to sensitive, nonpublic information. Nicolas Maduro, Former Venezuelan President, Appears in New York City Court.

The US Department of Justice stated that Van Dyke placed at least 13 bets between December 27, 2025, and January 26, 2026. He now faces multiple serious charges, including unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, wire fraud, commodities fraud, theft of government information, and engaging in unlawful financial transactions.

Investigators also allege that shortly after the operation, which involved transporting Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, a photo of Van Dyke in military gear was uploaded to his Google account. The image reportedly showed him armed and standing on a ship deck alongside other personnel. Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro ‘Perp-Walked’ Into New York DEA Office After US Capture (Watch Video).

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has also filed civil charges, seeking financial penalties, restitution, and a permanent ban on trading activities. Meanwhile, Polymarket stated it cooperated with authorities after identifying suspicious activity, emphasizing that insider trading has no place on its platform.

Reacting to the incident, Donald Trump criticized betting markets, comparing the situation to athletes betting on their own games. Officials, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, stressed that misuse of classified information for financial gain will be met with strict legal action.

Authorities further claim that Van Dyke attempted to conceal his profits by transferring funds to a foreign cryptocurrency vault before moving them into a brokerage account. He also allegedly tried to delete his Polymarket account shortly after the operation by falsely claiming he had lost access.

The case highlights growing concerns over insider trading risks in emerging prediction markets and underscores strict enforcement against misuse of national security information.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2026 07:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).