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

A US Army master sergeant has been arrested for allegedly using classified information to place bets on a military operation in Venezuela. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a member of the US Army Special Forces, is accused of using his knowledge of the forthcoming raid to place $33,000 in bets on Polymarket, winning approximately $400,000. The US Department of Justice has charged Van Dyke with unlawfully using confidential government information for personal gain, theft of non-public government information, and fraud. According to the indictment, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account in December 2025 and placed 13 bets on contracts related to the US military operation in Venezuela. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also pursuing an insider trading complaint against Van Dyke. The case has drawn attention to the use of classified 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 by asking Polymarket to delete his account and changing his email address. The incident has also prompted comments from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of the use of confidential information for betting purposes.