US Authorities Arrest Green Beret Over $400,000 Bet 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 elite US Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, has been charged with unlawfully using confidential government information for personal gain, theft of non-public government information, and fraud. According to the indictment, Van Dyke used his knowledge of the impending raid on Venezuela to place $33,000 in bets on Polymarket, a prediction market platform, and won approximately $400,000 after the operation. The US Attorney's office stated that Van Dyke's actions constituted insider trading and were in clear violation of federal law. Van Dyke allegedly created a Polymarket account in December 2025 and placed 13 bets between December 26, 2025, and January 2, 2026, on contracts related to the US military operation in Venezuela. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is also pursuing an insider trading complaint against Van Dyke. The CFTC Chairman emphasized that Van Dyke's actions jeopardized US national security and put the lives of American service members at risk. After the raid, Van Dyke allegedly withdrew his winnings, converted them to a stablecoin, and transferred the funds to a foreign cryptocurrency vault before moving them to a brokerage account. The investigation revealed that Van Dyke attempted to conceal his identity by asking Polymarket to delete his account and changing his email address. The case has drawn attention to the use of prediction markets and the potential risks of insider trading. US President Donald Trump has expressed his disapproval of such activities, stating that the world has become like a casino, with many engaging in betting activities. The President has announced that he will look into allegations of federal reporters placing bets using confidential information.