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

The US Department of Justice has arrested a high-ranking Army official, Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke, for allegedly using classified information to place bets on a military operation in Venezuela. Van Dyke, a member of the elite US Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, reportedly used his knowledge of the operation to place $33,000 in bets, which yielded approximately $400,000 in winnings. The indictment charges Van Dyke with unlawfully using confidential government information for personal gain, theft of non-public government information, and fraud. According to the US Attorney, Van Dyke's actions constitute clear insider trading and are illegal under federal law. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also pursuing an insider trading complaint in federal court, citing Van Dyke's actions as a threat to US national security and the lives of American service members. Van Dyke allegedly created a Polymarket account and placed multiple bets on contracts related to the military operation in Venezuela, before attempting to conceal his identity and withdraw his winnings. The case has sparked comments from US President Donald Trump, who expressed his disapproval of the use of confidential information for betting purposes.