A special forces soldier implicated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been apprehended for allegedly profiting over US$400,000 (£296,980) by betting on the removal of the ousted leader. The United States Justice Department disclosed that Gannon Ken Van Dyke wagered more than US$33,034 (£24,534) on the Polymarket cryptocurrency gambling platform, winning a substantial USD$409,000 (£303,686). These bets were placed shortly before the announcement of Maduro’s capture by then-US President Donald Trump in a predawn raid on the Venezuelan leader’s residence in Caracas.
The wagers stirred suspicions of insider trading, prompting a thorough investigation that culminated in Van Dyke’s indictment on multiple charges, including misuse of confidential information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government data, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and illegal financial transactions. Following Trump’s “Operation Absolute Resolve” declaration, unusual trading activities related to Maduro’s capture on Polymarket attracted attention in the media and social platforms. In an attempt to conceal his involvement, Van Dyke requested the deletion of his Polymarket account and changed the associated email address to obscure his identity.
An official from Polymarket stated that the company flagged the questionable bets to the Department of Justice and fully cooperated with the investigation. The spokesperson emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for insider trading on their platform, citing Van Dyke’s arrest as a testament to the efficacy of their system. FBI Director Kash Patel underscored the significance of the indictment as a warning to individuals with access to privileged information, affirming the commitment to upholding the law and safeguarding national secrets.
While Van Dyke’s arrest marks a significant development for US authorities, it echoes similar incidents globally. In a separate case, an Israeli army reservist and civilian faced charges in Israel for leveraging classified information to place bets on Polymarket, as reported by USA’s ABC News.