US Arrests Green Beret for Allegedly Betting on Venezuela Raid

The US Department of Justice has arrested a US Army Master Sergeant for allegedly using classified information to place wagers on a military operation in Venezuela. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier with the US Army Special Forces, is accused of using his knowledge of the forthcoming raid to place $33,000 in bets, which yielded approximately $400,000 in winnings. 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 potential US military action 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 potential risks of using confidential information for personal gain, with US Attorney Jay Clayton stating that Van Dyke's actions constitute 'clear insider trading and are illegal under federal law.'