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

The US Department of Justice has arrested a high-ranking Army officer for allegedly using classified information to place wagers on a military operation in Venezuela, resulting in significant financial gains. Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a member of the US Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, has been charged with unlawfully using confidential government information for personal gain, theft of non-public government information, and fraud. According to the indictment, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account and placed multiple bets on the outcome of the military operation, including the potential removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. The bets, which were placed between December 26, 2025, and January 2, 2026, allegedly used Van Dyke's knowledge of the forthcoming raid to turn a profit. US Attorney Jay Clayton stated that 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 against Van Dyke, with Chairman Mike Selig noting that the defendant's actions endangered US national security and put the lives of American service members at risk. Following the raid, Van Dyke allegedly withdrew his winnings, converted them to a cryptocurrency, and attempted to conceal his identity by deleting his Polymarket account and changing his email address. The incident has drawn attention from news organizations and prompted a response from Polymarket, which stated that it had identified the suspicious activity and cooperated with the DOJ investigation. US President Donald Trump has also commented on the issue, expressing his disapproval of the use of confidential information for betting purposes.