US Special Forces Soldier Arrested for Betting on Secret Raid to Capture Maduro

U.S. Special Forces Soldier Arrested for Profiting from Secret Raid to Capture Maduro

The Lead

Federal authorities have arrested Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a veteran U.S. Army soldier, for allegedly using classified information to bet on the outcome of the January 2026 mission that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While Van Dyke was a key player in the planning of the covert raid, he is now accused of "insider trading" on a global scale.

The Investigation

According to the unsealed indictment from the Southern District of New York:

• The Bet: Van Dyke allegedly placed over $33,000 in wagers on the prediction platform Polymarket in late December 2025.

• The Prediction: He bet "YES" on outcomes including "U.S. Forces in Venezuela" and "Maduro out by Jan 31."

• The Payout: Following the successful capture of Maduro on January 3, 2026, Van Dyke reportedly walked away with a profit of more than $409,000.

  

Legal Consequences

The 38-year-old Master Sergeant, formerly stationed at Fort Bragg, faces multiple federal charges:

 Commodities and Wire Fraud: For manipulating markets using non-public government secrets.

Theft of Government Information: For violating his non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Unlawful Monetary Transactions: For attempting to hide his winnings in a foreign cryptocurrency vault.

Official Reactions

"The defendant allegedly violated the trust placed in him by the United States Government... That is clear insider trading and is illegal under federal law." — Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that "no one is above the law," noting that while the military operation (codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve) was a success, the integrity of the armed forces must be maintained.