The American soldier is accused of placing a $32,000 bet on Polymarket that Maduro would be 'out' by January - which netted him $400,000 in profits after the foreign president was captured.
www.dailymail.com
A US special forces soldier has been arrested for allegedly placing a bet on the raid that captured Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro, despite being part of the operation.
American soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, is accused of placing a $32,000 bet on Polymarket - one of the best-known prediction markets - that Maduro would be 'out' by January, later pocketing $400,000 after the president’s capture.
But an indictment unsealed on Thursday alleges that he was involved in both the planning and execution of Operation Absolute Resolve, and used his access to classified information to personally profit.
Van Dyke, an active-duty service member stationed at Fort Bragg, was taken into custody Thursday and is now facing five charges, with an initial court appearance expected in North Carolina.
'Today’s announcement makes clear no one is above the law, and this
FBI will do whatever it takes to defend the homeland and safeguard our nation’s secrets,' FBI Director Kash Patel said.
'Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable,' he added.
According to the indictment, Van Dyke is accused of creating the betting account on or around December 26, 2025, funding it, and beginning to trade on Maduro- and Venezuela-related markets.
In total, he allegedly placed about 13 bets between late December and early January, repeatedly backing 'Yes' outcomes on scenarios involving US military action in Venezuela and Trump's invocation of war powers by January 31, 2026.
