US special forces soldier charged with profiting from 'bets' on secret Maduro raid

A US Army Special Forces soldier has been arrested and charged with using classified information to place bets on a covert military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, allegedly earning more than $400,000 in profits, according to US prosecutors.

Federal authorities said Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, an active-duty Army soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, opened an account on the online prediction market platform Polymarket in late December and wagered roughly $32,000 that Maduro would be removed from power before the end of January.

Prosecutors allege Van Dyke had access to classified information because of his role in planning and executing a secret US military mission known as “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which allegedly targeted Maduro in Caracas.

According to court documents, Van Dyke placed 13 separate bets between Dec. 27 and Jan. 2, including one made only hours before Maduro’s reported capture.

Authorities said U.S. forces later carried out a covert raid on the presidential palace in Caracas and detained Maduro, who was transferred to New York City to face drug trafficking-related charges. Maduro has denied the allegations against him.

Prosecutors said Van Dyke allegedly earned more than $400,000 from the wagers and later transferred the funds to a foreign cryptocurrency wallet in an attempt to conceal the source of the money.

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According to media reports, Van Dyke faces five criminal counts, including fraud, theft and unlawful use of classified government information, according to U.S. officials. Prosecutors said military personnel entrusted with sensitive intelligence are prohibited from using such information for personal financial gain.

In a statement, Polymarket said it alerted the US Department of Justice after detecting suspicious trading activity linked to potentially nonpublic government information.

“There is no place for insider trading on our platform,” the company said.

The case has intensified debate in the United States over prediction markets, online platforms that allow users to wager on political and geopolitical events. Several lawmakers in Congress have introduced proposals seeking tighter regulation of such platforms.

US President Donald Trump criticized the growing popularity of betting on geopolitical and military developments, saying the world was becoming “one giant casino.”