A U.S. Army soldier has been arrested for allegedly profiting over $400,000 through insider trading on the Polymarket platform, using confidential information regarding a planned operation to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The soldier, identified as 38-year-old Gannon Ken Van Dyke, was stationed at Fort Bragg and participated in the planning of a classified mission dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve” in Venezuela. Despite signing non-disclosure agreements, he reportedly exploited details about the timing and specifics of the operation for personal financial gain.
In December 2025, Van Dyke opened an account on Polymarket, a platform where users can bet on the likelihood of specific events. He wagered over $33,000 on scenarios involving U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and the ousting of Maduro by the end of January 2026.
Following the arrest of Maduro by U.S. forces in Caracas on January 3, 2026, Van Dyke’s bets paid off, netting him a profit of $409,881. He subsequently transferred the funds to a foreign cryptocurrency wallet and then moved them to a newly created brokerage account.
As reports emerged about unusual betting patterns concerning events in Venezuela, Van Dyke attempted to destroy evidence. He contacted Polymarket’s support team, falsely claiming he had lost access to his email and requested the deletion of his account.
Van Dyke now faces charges of fraud, theft of government property, and illegal financial transactions, which could result in decades of imprisonment.
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a U.S. Army soldier, has been arrested for insider trading linked to a classified operation in Venezuela, allegedly profiting over $400,000. He faces serious charges that could lead to significant prison time.