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Federal officials charge US soldier with using inside info to win $400K bet on Maduro’s capture

Federal officials charge US soldier with using inside info to win $400K bet on Maduro’s capture

Summary

A U.S. soldier, Gannon Ken Van Dyk, was charged with using secret information from a military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to win $400,000 on an online betting site. He took part in the raid in January 2026 and broke rules by sharing classified details for personal profit.

Key Facts

  • Gannon Ken Van Dyk is a senior enlisted soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
  • He used inside information from the special forces operation to capture Maduro to place bets on Polymarket, a prediction market website.
  • Van Dyk was involved in the planning and execution of Maduro’s capture starting December 8, 2025.
  • He signed agreements promising not to share any classified or sensitive information about the operation.
  • Charges against him include unlawful use of confidential information, theft of government data, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and illegal money transactions.
  • Van Dyk joined the Army in 2008 and was promoted to Master Sergeant in 2023, the second-highest enlisted rank.
  • The FBI emphasized that anyone with security clearance who misuses information for money will face consequences.
  • The Pentagon directed questions about the case to the Army and Department of Justice; Special Operations Command did not comment.
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