A U.S. Army soldier tied to the capture of Nicolas Maduro now faces charges linked to a personal windfall from a bold bet. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, a master sergeant with U.S. Army Special Forces, is accused of using confidential information to wager on Polymarket that U.S. forces would enter Venezuela and Maduro would be ousted.
The indictment in Manhattan federal court charges unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction.
Prosecutors say Van Dyke was involved in the planning and execution of the Maduro capture, but did not detail the specifics.
The case signals a rare use of insider trading charges in connection with a prediction market. Our men and women in uniform are trusted with classified information in order to accomplish their mission as safely and effectively as possible, and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain, Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
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Polymarket says it cooperated. The platform described the matter as an instance where the system did its job, and it pledged to cooperate with investigators.
Defense attorneys for Van Dyke were not immediately available, and he is expected to be brought before a judge in North Carolina later on Thursday. The Pentagon deferred comment to the Justice Department, underscoring the cross agency stakes in the case.
President Donald Trump weighed in, saying he did not know the particulars of the case, but that it reminded him of a famous betting controversy. “That’s like Pete Rose betting on his own team,” Trump said.
“If he bet against his team, that would be no good, but he bet on his own team. I’ll look into it.”
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The Justice Department and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have laid out parallel concerns. The CFTC also filed civil charges against Van Dyke, highlighting the seriousness with which government officials treat the intersection of defense operations and financial markets.
Van Dyke has served on active duty since 2008 and was most recently stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, according to the indictment. Prosecutors said he was involved in the “planning and execution” of Maduro’s capture, and a photograph he uploaded to his Google account on the morning of January 3 shows him on the deck of a ship at sunrise, in fatigues and armed, alongside three others in uniform.
The indictment details the risks when sensitive government information is used for personal gain, and the case has drawn attention to how prediction markets can intersect with real world military operations.
It also highlights the need for strong safeguards and accountability within the armed forces to maintain the trust placed in service members.
In remarks that will resonate with supporters of a robust, orderly approach to national security, the administration has emphasized that responsibility within the ranks will be enforced.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has signaled a firm stance on maintaining the integrity of military missions and the information that underpins them, even as the legal process unfolds.
At the same time, officials stress that the pursuit of justice must be balanced with due process and the ongoing duties of a nation at war.
The case remains under active investigation as prosecutors and investigators gather additional details about the betting activity and its possible ties to the Maduro operation.
The court will assess the charges and determine whether Van Dyke can be properly tried on the allegations outlined by federal prosecutors.
Citizens across the country are watching how this affair unfolds, given its implications for both military discipline and the integrity of associated financial markets.
The outcome will likely shape future questions about how to guard sensitive government information while allowing legitimate, lawful engagement with innovative market platforms.
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