?? DESCRIPTION

Story Highlights

• U.S. soldier charged for using classified military information to place bets on Polymarket and earn profits.

• Accused generated about $409,000 profit from $33,000 wagers using insider knowledge of secret operation plans.

  

• Facing charges including wire fraud and Commodity Exchange Act violations, with potential sentence up to 20 years.

  

A U.S. Army soldier has been charged with using classified military information to place bets on a crypto prediction platform, earning about $409,000 from roughly $33,000 wagers. The case has raised serious concerns about insider trading risks in prediction markets.

U.S. Soldier Accused of Insider Trading Case on Polymarket

According to U.S. prosecutors, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a 38-year-old active-duty soldier, used sensitive information linked to a U.S. operation
(Operation Absolute Resolve), targeting Venezuela’s former president, Nicolas Maduro.

Authorities say Van Dyke had direct access to confidential details due to his role in planning and executing the operation.

Instead of keeping that information secure, he allegedly used the information to predict outcomes on the polymarket platform, giving him an unfair advantage over other users. 

How Insider’s Bets Generated $409K Profit on Polymarket

The activity took place between late December 2025 and early January 2026. During this time, he allegedly placed around 13 bets on Polymarket, spending close to $33,000 in total. 

Using a trading account, he bought over 436,000 “Yes” shares tied to a contract related to Maduro’s status.

When events played out as expected, his positions paid off heavily. Reports suggest he made nearly $409,000 in profit from these trades

This type of activity is considered insider trading, even in emerging platforms like prediction markets.

Legal Action and Serious Charges

The case has now moved to federal court in New York. Authorities have charged Van Dyke with multiple offenses, including wire fraud, unlawful monetary transactions, and violations of the Commodity Exchange Act. 

If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison for the most serious charge.

At the same time, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a civil case seeking penalties, repayment of profits, and a permanent ban from trading.

Even CFTC Chair Mike Selig said,

“I’ve been crystal clear: anyone who engages in insider trading in any of our markets will face the full force of the law.”

Further, Selig said that the CFTC won’t tolerate insider trading in our markets.

Polymarket Responds to the Incident

Responding to Van Dyke’s arrest, Polymarket said on X that it detected suspicious trading activity and reported it to authorities. The platform stated that it has strict rules against insider trading and is working to improve market integrity.

“When we identified a user trading on classified government information, we referred the matter to the DOJ & cooperated with their investigation.

Insider trading has no place on Polymarket. Today’s arrest is proof the system works.”

This case comes as prediction markets continue to grow in popularity. However, it also shows the risks when users with access to sensitive information try to exploit these systems.