A special forces soldier involved within the operation that captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has been indicted by the U.S. Justice Department. His alleged crime? Making quite a few bets on the prediction market Polymarket that Maduro can be faraway from power, for which he is claimed to have made upwards of $400,000.
Authorities claim Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who was involved within the “planning and execution” of Operation Absolute Resolve (the stratagem that toppled and captured the Venezuelan leader), made bets on Polymarket about whether the U.S. would deploy forces into Venezuela and take away Maduro from power.
Van Dyke was arrested on Thursday, CBS reports, citing a law enforcement source.
Federal officials say that Van Dyke’s wagers were informed by classified information he had access to consequently of being a government insider. The federal government notes that Van Dyke signed nondisclosure agreements prohibiting him from ever divulging, publishing, or revealing “by writing, words, conduct, or otherwise . . . any classified or sensitive information” related to the military operations he was involved with.
In December, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account and started making wagers involving “Maduro- and Venezuela-related markets,” officials say. Between Dec. 27, 2025 and Jan. 26 of this 12 months, he allegedly made 13 bets totaling some $33,034 in total on things like “U.S. Forces in Venezuela . . . by January 31, 2026” and “Maduro out by . . . January 31, 2026.” Officials say that, after collecting his winnings, Van Dyke also took steps to cover up his ties to the account that made the wagers.
Van Dyke faces a wide range of charges, including violating the Commodity Exchange Act, wire fraud, and making an illegal monetary transaction.
“Our men and girls in uniform are trusted with classified information to be able to accomplish their mission as safely and effectively as possible, and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for private financial gain,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Widespread access to prediction markets is a comparatively latest phenomenon, but federal laws protecting national security information fully apply.”
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Prediction markets have inspired controversy ever since their launch. But over the past 12 months, the sites have grown in prominence and influence, striking deals with media outlets and sports organizations while also seeing widespread use, including by public officials. Laws is currently being mulled that may ban public officials from using nonpublic information to make bets on prediction sites.
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