Soldier involved in Maduro's capture won $400K by betting before the operation, now faces charges

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday the unsealing of an indictment against Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a 38-year-old Army soldier, for using classified information to profit in prediction markets.

Van Dyke, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is accused of taking advantage of his privileged access to the planning and execution of Operation Absolute Resolve, the military mission that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro, to place million-dollar bets on the Polymarket platform.

According to the DOJ, the servicemember placed 13 bets between December 2025 and January 2026. In all of them, he bet on "YES" on contracts related to the presence of U.S. forces in Venezuela and Maduro's departure from power before January 31

With an initial investment of approximately $33,000, the soldier made a net profit of $409,881.

"No one is above the law"

Federal authorities called the act a serious case of insider trading that compromises national security. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche underscored the seriousness of using state secrets for personal enrichment.

"Our men and women in uniform are provided classified information to accomplish their mission as safely and effectively as possible, and they are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain," Blanche said.

For his part, FBI Director Kash Patel sent a strong message to any official considering commoditizing their access to sensitive data:

"This FBI will do whatever it takes to defend the homeland and safeguard our nation's secrets. Any security clearance holder who thinks of monetizing their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable in court," he assured.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton added that Polymarket is not a haven for the use of misappropriated information. "The defendant allegedly violated the trust placed in him by the U.S. Government," he said. "That is clearly insider trading and is illegal under federal law," he concluded.

The attempted cover-up and Trump's reaction

After the successful operation on Jan. 3, and in the face of press reports of unusual betting movements, Van Dyke attempted to cover up his trail. According to the DOJ, he sent his winnings to a foreign cryptocurrency vault and attempted to delete his Polymarket account, falsely claiming that he had lost access to his email. 

President Donald Trump addressed the case from the Oval Office, comparing the soldier's conduct to one of the most famous scandals in American sports: baseball player Pete Rose's.

"That's like Pete Rose betting on his own team. If he had bet against his team, that would not be good," the president commented.

Trump deepened his comparison by pointing out that, although Rose bet on his team, the rules are clear. "Pete Rose was kept out of the Hall of Fame because he bet on his own team," he said. "I will look into it," he added.

The president also reflected on the current state of technology and geopolitical stakes. "The whole world, unfortunately, has become a kind of casino. I don't like it conceptually, but it is what it is. It's a crazy world," he concluded.

Van Dyke now faces charges including wire fraud and commodities fraud, with penalties that could add up to decades in prison. The case will be prosecuted by the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force in the Southern District of New York.