A U.S. Army soldier has been charged after federal authorities alleged he used classified information tied to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to make more than $400,000 through wagers on prediction market platform Polymarket.

Prosecutors in Manhattan said Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, faces charges including unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction. He was scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in North Carolina.

Authorities said Van Dyke served on active duty at Fort Bragg and had access to sensitive military intelligence during planning for “Operation Absolute Resolve,” the January 2026 mission that led to Maduro’s capture in Caracas.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said, “Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain.”

Bets Placed Before Maduro Capture

According to the indictment, Van Dyke reportedly took part in the planning and execution phase of the operation from around December 8, 2025, through early January 2026. During that period, he allegedly opened and funded a Polymarket account on or about December 26.

From late December through the evening of January 2, prosecutors said he placed approximately 13 wagers totaling about $33,034. The trades reportedly backed outcomes tied directly to events he knew about through classified channels.

As published on the U.S. Department of Justice’s website, those markets included “U.S. Forces in Venezuela … by January 31, 2026,” “Maduro out by … January 31, 2026,” “Will the U.S. invade Venezuela by … January 31,” and “Trump invokes War Powers against Venezuela by … January 31.”

In the predawn hours of January 3, U.S. special forces captured Maduro and his wife. Later that day, the president publicly announced the mission’s success. Several related Polymarket contracts then settled in Van Dyke’s favor.

Federal authorities said he earned roughly $409,881 in profits.

Investigators said Van Dyke quickly moved most of the proceeds into a foreign cryptocurrency vault before transferring funds into a newly created online brokerage account.

They also alleged he tried to hide his connection to the trades after unusual activity in Venezuela-linked markets drew public attention. Prosecutors said he asked Polymarket to delete his account, claiming he had lost access to the associated email address. They further alleged he changed the email on a crypto exchange account to one created shortly before the trades.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “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.”

FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. said, “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.”

Parallel Civil Action and Wider Market Pressure

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed a parallel civil complaint seeking restitution, disgorgement, monetary penalties, trading bans, registration bans, and a permanent injunction.

Director of Enforcement David I. Miller said, “All members of the government, including service members, owe a duty of trust and confidentiality to the government and the American people.”

Officials said the matter marks the first time the agency has brought insider trading charges involving event contracts.

Polymarket said it identified suspicious activity, alerted the Department of Justice, and cooperated with investigators. The platform added, “Insider trading has no place on Polymarket.”

The case arrives during heightened scrutiny of prediction markets, where users can wager on politics, military conflicts, and other real-world outcomes. Lawmakers from both parties have recently called for tighter controls on such markets.

If convicted, Van Dyke faces significant prison exposure. Federal officials noted that sentencing would ultimately be determined by the court.