US Army Green Beret Arrested for Allegedly Betting on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has arrested a high-ranking Army officer for allegedly using classified information to place bets on a military operation in Venezuela. Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a member of the US Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, allegedly used his knowledge of the impending raid to place $33,000 in bets on the outcome, resulting in winnings of approximately $400,000. According to the indictment, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account in December 2025 and placed 13 bets between then and January 2026 on contracts related to the potential US invasion of Venezuela and the removal of Nicolas Maduro. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also pursuing an insider trading complaint against Van Dyke, with the agency's chairman stating that the defendant's actions endangered national security and put American lives at risk. Van Dyke allegedly attempted to conceal his identity and withdraw his winnings after the raid, but his activities were detected by news organizations and reported to the authorities. The incident has sparked comments from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of the use of confidential information for personal gain and the growing trend of betting on global events.