A US Army special forces soldier has been charged with insider trading after he allegedly used classified information to win over $400,000 by betting on the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is accused of placing bets on the prediction market Polymarket using nonpublic details about the military operation that led to Maduro's removal, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Van Dyke profited more than $409,000 from the wagers, which the DOJ described as a clear case of insider trading. "That is clear insider trading and is illegal under federal law," officials said.
The charges stem from Operation Absolute Resolve, a dramatic night-time raid on January 3 in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They were brought to New York to face drug and weapon charges, which they deny.
According to the DOJ, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account on or about December 26, 2025, and began trading on markets related to Maduro and Venezuela. He allegedly placed bets totaling more than $33,000 while in possession of classified information about the operation.
Van Dyke has been charged with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction. The indictment was unsealed on Thursday.
"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," said acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche.
US Attorney Jay Clayton, whose office will handle the case, added that prediction markets "are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain."
Prosecutors noted that Van Dyke had signed nondisclosure agreements pledging never to divulge classified or sensitive information related to military operations. The alleged insider trading occurred between December 8, 2025, and January 6, 2026, during which Van Dyke had access to sensitive details about Operation Absolute Resolve.