FBI says Google engineer used internal search data to win $1.2M on Polymarket
Summary
A Google software engineer, Michele Spagnuolo, has been charged with insider trading after using confidential Google search data to win $1.2 million betting on a prediction market called Polymarket. He made bets on who would be the most searched people on Google in 2025 before the information was public.Key Facts
- Michele Spagnuolo is an Italian citizen living in Switzerland and worked at Google.
- He was arrested and charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
- Spagnuolo used internal Google search data not available to the public to make bets on Polymarket.
- He placed bets totaling about $2.7 million and earned $1.2 million in profits from gambling on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” results.
- Google suspended Spagnuolo and is cooperating with law enforcement.
- The bets were on whether certain public figures, including President Donald Trump, would be the most searched people on Google in 2025.
- The username Spagnuolo used on Polymarket was “AlphaRaccoon,” which was later removed after suspicion arose on social media.
- Both criminal and civil charges were filed in federal court in New York.
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