A U.S. Army Special Forces master sergeant has been arrested and charged after allegedly using classified information from a covert military operation in Venezuela to place bets that earned him more than $400,000.
According to federal prosecutors, the soldier, identified as Gannon Ken Van Dyke, was directly involved in the planning and execution of a secret U.S. mission that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early 2026. Authorities say he exploited insider knowledge from the operation to trade on a prediction market platform, Polymarket.
Investigators allege Van Dyke opened an account in late December 2025 and placed a series of bets totaling about $32,000, predicting that Maduro would be removed from power within weeks.
The wagers reportedly paid off after the classified raid was carried out, resulting in Maduro’s capture and transfer to the United States to face charges.
Federal officials say the soldier’s trading activity was quickly flagged as suspicious, triggering an investigation involving the Justice Department, the FBI, and financial regulators. Prosecutors also allege he attempted to conceal the proceeds by moving funds through cryptocurrency and foreign accounts.
Van Dyke now faces multiple charges, including wire fraud, commodities fraud, theft of government information, and unlawful use of classified intelligence. If convicted, he could face decades in prison.
Officials condemned the alleged conduct, stressing that classified military intelligence must never be used for personal financial gain, especially by active-duty personnel entrusted with national security operations.
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