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U.S. soldier charged with using classified intel to win $400K Polymarket bet on Maduro raid
A U.S. special forces soldier involved in the January operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified information to place bets on Polymarket, reportedly earning more than $400,000. The charges were announced by the U.S. attorney's office in New York on April 23, 2026, and reported in an article published on April 24, 2026.
Why It Matters
The case highlights concerns about the misuse of classified information and the intersection of sensitive military operations with online prediction markets.
Timeline
3 Events
Article publication noting the charges
April 24, 2026
The article reporting these charges was published on April 24, 2026 at 10:19 pm IST.
Charges announced in New York federal case
April 23, 2026
U.S. federal prosecutors in New York announced that Gannon Ken Van Dyke had been charged with using classified information from the Maduro operation to place bets on the Polymarket market, earning more than $400,000.
January 2026 operation to capture Maduro
January 2026
Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the U.S. special forces operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.