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A U.S. peculiar forces worker progressive successful the subject cognition that led to erstwhile Venezuelan person Nicolás Maduro's capture has pleaded not blameworthy to charges alleging helium utilized classified accusation astir the ngo to stake connected Maduro's removal from bureau — and win.
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, entered the not blameworthy plea Tuesday successful national tribunal successful New York. He has been charged with unlawful usage of confidential authorities accusation for idiosyncratic gain, theft of nonpublic authorities information, commodities fraud, ligament fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction.
Van Dyke is accused of winning much than $400,000 connected the prediction marketplace Polymarket aft allegedly betting that Maduro would beryllium removed from bureau earlier quality of the raid to seizure him was made public. Federal investigators judge Van Dyke, a U.S. Army maestro sergeant, stake much than $33,000 connected Polymarket wrong hours of President Trump's January announcement that Maduro had been captured, sources told CBS News erstwhile the worker was taken into custody earlier this month.
The lawsuit comes during dense scrutiny connected prediction markets, which let radical to commercialized oregon wager connected astir anything, arsenic policymakers telephone for stricter regularisation of the platforms amid concerns astir insider trading.
The Trump medication has been supportive of the prediction marketplace industry's expansion. The president's eldest lad is an advisor for some Polymarket and its main competitor, Kalshi, and helium is simply a Polymarket investor. Mr. Trump's societal media platform, Truth Social, is launching its ain prediction marketplace called Truth Predict.
Gannon Ken Van Dyke walks with his attorneys adjacent a national tribunal gathering successful New York connected Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Seth Wenig / AP
Prosecutors said Van Dyke was progressive successful the readying and execution of Maduro's seizure and had signed nondisclosure agreements centered connected the operations, but helium yet placed a bid of bets related to Maduro being retired of powerfulness by Jan. 31.
Polymarket, 1 of the largest prediction markets, flagged the suspicious enactment and turned it implicit to the government, according to CEO Shayne Coplan.
U.S. Attorney successful the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton characterized Van Dyke's alleged actions arsenic "clear insider trading" in a quality release aft his arrest.
"Prediction markets are not a haven for utilizing misappropriated confidential oregon classified accusation for idiosyncratic gain," Clayton said. "The suspect allegedly violated the spot placed successful him by the United States Government by utilizing classified accusation astir a delicate subject cognition to spot bets connected the timing and result of that precise operation, each to crook a profit."
Van Dyke, who is stationed astatine Fort Bragg adjacent Fayetteville, North Carolina, was granted enslaved aft a tribunal proceeding successful North Carolina past week and volition proceed his lawsuit successful New York. He was represented successful tribunal by lawyer Zach Intrater.
James LaPorta, Jacob Rosen and Nicole Sganga contributed to this report.
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Charges against worker for evident bets
What we cognize astir charges against worker accused of betting connected Maduro's removal
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