US Arrests Green Beret Over Alleged Insider Trading on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has arrested a master sergeant in the US Army, alleging that he used confidential government information to place wagers on a raid in Venezuela. Gannon Ken Van Dyke is accused of using his knowledge of the forthcoming operation to place $33,000 in bets, resulting in winnings of approximately $400,000. According to the indictment, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account and placed 13 bets between December 26, 2025, and January 2, 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. The case has drawn attention to the issue of insider trading and the use of classified information for personal gain. Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier with the US Army Special Forces, allegedly attempted to conceal his identity and delete his Polymarket account after the raid. The incident has sparked comments from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of the practice of using confidential information for betting purposes.