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

The US Department of Justice has arrested a master sergeant in the Army, alleging that he used confidential government information to place bets on a military operation in Venezuela, resulting in winnings of approximately $400,000. According to the indictment, Gannon Ken Van Dyke is charged with unlawfully using confidential government information for personal gain, theft of non-public government information, and fraud. The indictment claims that Van Dyke used his knowledge of the forthcoming raid to place $33,000 in bets on the outcome of the operation. US Attorney Jay Clayton stated that Van Dyke's actions constitute 'clear insider trading' and are illegal under federal law. Van Dyke allegedly created a Polymarket account and placed 13 bets on contracts related to the US operation in Venezuela. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also pursuing an insider trading complaint in federal court. The agency's chairman, Mike Selig, noted that Van Dyke's actions endangered US national security and put the lives of American service members at risk. Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier with the US Army Special Forces, was involved in the planning and execution of the military operation. After the raid, he allegedly withdrew his winnings, converted them to a cryptocurrency, and moved them into a brokerage account. The investigation was initiated after news organizations noticed that someone had made a significant profit on these bets. Van Dyke allegedly asked Polymarket to delete his account and changed his email to conceal his identity. In response to the allegations, US President Donald Trump expressed his disapproval of using confidential information for betting purposes, stating that the world has become 'somewhat of a casino.'