Federal prosecutors have charged a U.S. special forces soldier with using classified intelligence to place winning bets worth more than $400,000 on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.

Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke allegedly accessed nonpublic details about a U.S. military operation targeting Maduro and used that information to make a series of wagers on the prediction market Polymarket, according to an unsealed indictment.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton said Van Dyke “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.”

Van Dyke was directly involved in planning and executing the mission beginning in December 2025, giving him insight into the timing and likelihood of the operation’s success, according to prosecutors.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in January during a predawn U.S. military seizure in Caracas, when special operations forces stormed their compound after months of intelligence gathering. The couple was quickly taken into custody, extracted under heavy security and flown out of Venezuela to the United States to face federal charges. The pair is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Authorities allege Van Dyke placed more than a dozen bets totaling upward of $33,000 in late December and early January, correctly predicting that Maduro would be removed from power by the end of the month. Those wagers ultimately generated profits exceeding $400,000.  

Van Dyke then attempted to conceal his activity by routing the proceeds through cryptocurrency accounts and other financial channels.

Van Dyke, who was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, faces five criminal charges including theft of government information, wire fraud, commodities fraud and unlawful monetary transactions. Officials said he had signed multiple nondisclosure agreements prohibiting the release or use of classified material linked to the operation.

“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.”

The case underscores growing scrutiny of prediction markets and the potential for insider abuse, particularly when tied to geopolitical events.

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

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates prediction markets such as Polymarket, also filed a formal complaint Thursday against Van Dyke. The CFTC is seeking financial repayment, penalties and a permanent ban on trading activities, along with an injunction to prevent any future violations of federal commodities laws.

“I have been crystal clear that anyone who engages in fraud, manipulation, or insider trading in any of our markets will face the full force of the law,” said CFTC Chair Michael S. Selig.

When asked about Van Dyke’s indictment on Thursday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he was not aware of the case, but referenced a former Major League Baseball player who was permanently banned in 1989 for betting on games, including those involving his own team.

“That’s like Pete Rose betting on his own team,” Trump said.

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