US Authorities Arrest Green Beret for Allegedly Betting on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has taken a master sergeant from the Army into custody, alleging that he used confidential government information for personal gain by betting on the outcome of a Venezuela raid. The sergeant, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, allegedly placed $33,000 in bets on the raid, which resulted in winnings of around $400,000. According to the indictment, Van Dyke used his knowledge of the impending operation to place bets on whether US forces would land in Venezuela, remove Maduro, and invade the country. The US Attorney's office stated that Van Dyke's actions constitute insider trading and are illegal under federal law. Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier with the US Army Special Forces, was involved in the planning and execution of the military operation. After the raid, he allegedly withdrew his winnings, converted them to cryptocurrency, and moved them into a brokerage account. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also pursuing an insider trading complaint against Van Dyke. The case highlights concerns about the use of classified information for personal gain and the risks associated with prediction markets.