US Arrests Green Beret Over Alleged $400,000 Bet on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has arrested an active-duty Army master sergeant for allegedly using confidential government information to place bets on a military operation in Venezuela. The sergeant, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, is accused of using his knowledge of the forthcoming raid to place $33,000 in bets on Polymarket, ultimately winning around $400,000. According to the indictment, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account in December 2025 and placed 13 bets between then 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, who is a member of the US Army Special Forces, commonly known as the 'green berets.' The case has drawn attention to the issue of insider trading and the use of confidential information for personal gain, with US Attorney Jay Clayton stating that Van Dyke's actions constitute 'clear insider trading' and are illegal under federal law. Van Dyke allegedly attempted to conceal his identity and his winnings by withdrawing the funds, converting them to a cryptocurrency, and moving them into a brokerage account. The incident has also sparked comments from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of betting on such events, stating that the world has become 'somewhat of a casino.'