US Authorities Arrest Green Beret Over Alleged Insider Trading on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has taken action against a high-ranking Army official, Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke, for allegedly exploiting classified information for personal financial gain. Van Dyke, an active-duty Green Beret, is accused of using his knowledge of an impending military operation in Venezuela to place bets worth $33,000, which ultimately yielded a profit of approximately $400,000. According to the indictment, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account in late December 2025 and made a series of bets on the likelihood of US forces landing in Venezuela, removing President Nicolas Maduro, and other related events. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also pursuing an insider trading complaint against Van Dyke, citing a breach of trust and a threat to national security. Following the raid, Van Dyke allegedly attempted to conceal his identity and actions by withdrawing his winnings, converting them to a stablecoin, and transferring the funds to a brokerage account. The case has drawn attention to the issue of insider trading and the use of confidential information for personal gain, with US President Donald Trump expressing his disapproval of such practices. The incident has also led to a broader discussion about the risks and implications of prediction markets and the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar incidents in the future.