In the United States, soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke has been detained for illegally earning over $400,000 on the Polymarket platform using confidential data about the planning of an operation to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
In the U.S., soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke has been arrested. He illegally profited over $400,000 on the Polymarket platform using insider information about the preparation of an operation to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Secret Operation and Breach of Oath
According to the indictment, the 38-year-old U.S. Army soldier was stationed at Fort Bragg. He was actively involved in planning the secret operation "Absolute Resolve" in Venezuela.
Despite signed non-disclosure agreements, the soldier cynically used this information. He financially benefited by relying on the timing and details of the upcoming operation.
Risky Bets on Polymarket
In December 2025, Van Dyke created an account on the Polymarket platform. Here, users place bets on the likelihood of various events.
He wagered over $33,000 on categories related to the deployment of American troops to Venezuela and the ousting of Maduro from power by the end of January 2026. This was an extremely risky but informed move.
When on January 3, American troops indeed detained Maduro in Caracas, the soldier's bets paid off. This earned him a staggering profit of $409,881.
Attempt to Cover Tracks
The soldier quickly transferred the funds to a foreign cryptocurrency wallet. He then moved them to a newly created brokerage account, attempting to cover his tracks.
After media reports emerged about the anomalous bets, Van Dyke attempted to destroy evidence. He contacted Polymarket's support with a false request to delete his account, claiming he had lost access to his email.
The soldier currently faces serious charges. These include fraud, theft of confidential government information, and illegal financial transactions. For these crimes, he faces decades in prison.
