A US Special Forces soldier, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, has been arrested and charged for betting on the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro while participating in the operation to capture him.
Van Dyke, 38, allegedly used sensitive classified information to make wagers on Polymarket, earning over $409,000, but was charged with violating the Commodity Exchange Act and wire fraud.
The soldier, stationed at Fort Bragg, created his Polymarket account on December 26, 2025, and made 13 bets from December 27, 2025, through January 2, 2026, taking the 'yes' position on various markets related to Maduro's removal.
Van Dyke faces up to 50 years in prison for the charges, which include violating the Commodity Exchange Act, wire fraud, and an unlawful monetary transaction.
