A U.S. Army soldier is accused of trading on classified details from a mission to capture Nicolás Maduro, placing bets on a prediction market and winning roughly $409,000 after the operation became public.
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, has been indicted on multiple federal counts tied to alleged misuse of classified information for personal profit. Authorities say he participated in planning and execution of Operation Absolute Resolve, had access to sensitive nonpublic intelligence, and then placed wagers on Polymarket that tracked outcomes tied to the mission. The case landed in both the Eastern District of North Carolina for an initial appearance and has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett in the Southern District of New York.
Prosecutors laid out a mix of charges that include unlawful use of confidential government information, theft of nonpublic government information, three counts under the Commodity Exchange Act, wire fraud, and an unlawful monetary transaction. The Commodity Exchange Act counts each carry a maximum of 10 years in prison; wire fraud carries up to 20 years, and the unlawful monetary transaction count carries up to 10 years. Those penalties reflect statutory maximums set by Congress, and any actual sentence will be determined by a judge after conviction or plea.
Court filings say Van Dyke was on active duty at Fort Bragg and that he signed nondisclosure agreements promising never to reveal classified or sensitive information related to military operations. According to the indictment, his involvement in Operation Absolute Resolve began around December 8, 2025, and continued through at least January 6, 2026, giving him access to details on timing and likely outcomes. Investigators allege he used that access to create a Polymarket account on or about December 26, 2025, fund it, and begin trading on Maduro- and Venezuela-related event contracts.
Authorities say Van Dyke made about 13 wagers between December 27, 2025, and the evening of January 2, 2026, taking “YES” positions on markets like “U.S. Forces in Venezuela by January 31, 2026” and “Maduro out by January 31, 2026,” investing approximately $33,034 while in possession of classified nonpublic information. In the predawn hours of January 3, 2026, U.S. special forces reportedly apprehended Maduro and his wife in Caracas and the President publicly announced the operation later that same day, after which numerous Polymarket contracts resolved to “YES.” The indictment alleges Van Dyke’s positions paid off and generated about $409,881 in profit.
Investigators say he then took steps to shelter the proceeds, moving most of the funds into a foreign cryptocurrency vault before transferring them into a newly created online brokerage account, and quickly withdrawing the bulk of the gains from Polymarket. The filings note that, as press and social media flagged unusual trading activity on Maduro-related markets, the defendant attempted to conceal his identity as the trader and sought deletion of his Polymarket account while falsely claiming lost email access. The complaint also describes changing the email on a cryptocurrency exchange account to one that was not subscribed in his name.
Officials from the Department of Justice and the FBI issued blunt public statements about the charges and the dangers of trading on classified information. “Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The defendant allegedly violated the trust placed in him by the United States Government by using classified information about a sensitive military operation to place bets on the timing and outcome of that very operation, all to turn a profit. That is clear insider trading and is illegal under federal law. Those entrusted to safeguard our nation’s secrets have a duty to protect them and our armed service members, and not to use that information for personal financial gain. Our Office will continue to hold accountable those who misuse confidential or classified information in a way that undermines and exploits our national security.”
Other leaders echoed that message. “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 Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Widespread access to prediction markets is a relatively new phenomenon, but federal laws protecting national security information fully apply.” “Today’s announcement makes clear no one is above the law, and this FBI will do whatever it takes to defend the homeland and safeguard our nation’s secrets,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable.” “Gannon Ken Van Dyke allegedly betrayed his fellow soldiers by utilizing classified information for his own financial gain,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Van Dyke profited more than $400,000 by trading various outcomes related to Venezuela after learning of the operation because of his role as a U.S. Army soldier. The FBI will continue to investigate threats to our nation’s security especially from those entrusted to safeguard sensitive classified information and military operations.”
