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

A US Army Master Sergeant, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully using confidential government information for personal gain. The allegations stem from his involvement in a military operation to detain former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, during which Van Dyke allegedly placed $33,000 in bets on the outcome, ultimately winning around $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 US military's actions 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 issue of insider trading and the use of confidential information for personal gain, with US Attorney Jay Clayton stating that Van Dyke's actions constituted 'clear insider trading' and were 'illegal under federal law.' Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier with the US Army Special Forces, allegedly attempted to conceal his identity and withdraw his winnings after the raid. The incident has sparked comments from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of the concept of prediction market bets using confidential information.