US Army Green Beret Arrested for Allegedly Betting on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has arrested a master sergeant in the US Army, alleging that he used classified information to place wagers on a military operation in Venezuela. The sergeant, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, is accused of using his knowledge of the operation to place bets worth $33,000, which yielded a profit 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 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 sparked concern about the potential risks of using confidential information for personal gain, with US Attorney Jay Clayton stating that Van Dyke's actions constituted 'clear insider trading' and posed a threat to national security. Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier with the US Army Special Forces, allegedly attempted to conceal his identity and withdrew his winnings after the raid. The incident has also drawn attention from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of the practice of using confidential information for betting purposes.