US Soldier Charged for Insider Trading on Secret Operation to Capture Maduro

Washington D.C. A US soldier has been arrested on charges of online betting based on classified information regarding a military operation to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit alleging that Gannon Kane Van Dyke, a member of the US Army Special Forces, placed bets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on the crypto-based platform Polymarket before Maduro's arrest.

Investigations revealed that Van Dyke, who was part of the military team, had prior knowledge of the timing and outcome of Maduro's capture, earning him a profit of approximately $409,000. It is alleged that the soldier, based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, misused top-secret information obtained while involved in the planning and execution of the military mission dubbed 'Operation Absolute Resolve' for personal gain.

On January 3, US forces conducted a dramatic raid in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, taking Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, into custody and transporting them to New York. About a week before the operation, Van Dyke had invested over $33,000 in markets related to Maduro to begin his betting.

The incident came to light after Polymarket identified suspicious activity on its platform and reported it to the Department of Justice. The department has explicitly labeled this as 'insider trading' and a violation of federal law. Van Dyke faces serious charges, including illegal use of government information, theft, commodity fraud, and money laundering.

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that while military personnel are entrusted with classified information for national security, using it as a means to accumulate personal wealth is strictly prohibited.

Responding to the incident, US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with such betting activities and stated he would look further into the matter. He remarked that the world has become like a casino and that he has never been in favor of such wagering.

The case will now proceed in a New York court, where Van Dyke faces the prospect of severe legal penalties.