Saturday, April 25, 2026

US soldier charged with betting on Maduro capture

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a special forces soldier involved in the military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, has been charged with using classified intelligence about the mission to place winning bets on the prediction market Polymarket. Van Dyke allegedly wagered over $33,000 and won more than $400,000 by correctly predicting Maduro's removal before the raid was publicly announced. He faces five federal charges including wire fraud, commodities fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions.