U.S. prosecutors have charged Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with using classified information to earn more than $400,000 on a prediction market tied to a planned military operation in Venezuela.
According to an indictment unsealed in federal court in Manhattan, Van Dyke allegedly used sensitive details about a mission to capture President Nicolás Maduro to place a series of bets on Polymarket, a platform where users wager on real-world events.
Authorities say Van Dyke, who was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, had access to nonpublic information while involved in planning the operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve. Between late December 2025 and early January 2026, he allegedly wagered about $33,000 on outcomes related to U.S. military action in Venezuela and Maduro’s removal from power.
After U.S. forces captured Maduro in early January, the markets resolved in his favor, netting him roughly $409,000 in profits, prosecutors said.
Investigators allege Van Dyke then attempted to conceal his actions by transferring funds through cryptocurrency accounts and asking the platform to delete his account under false pretenses.
He faces multiple charges, including commodities fraud, wire fraud and unlawful use of confidential government information. If convicted, he could face decades in prison. Officials said the case underscores that laws governing classified information apply to emerging platforms such as prediction markets.