The Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed an indictment charging Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a 38-year-old active-duty US Army soldier from Fayetteville, North Carolina, with using secret Maduro raid information to win approximately $409,881 on Polymarket.
Prosecutors say Gannon had access to classified details from Operation Absolute Resolve, the US mission to capture Nicolas Maduro, and then used that information to bet on Venezuelan markets before the raid became public.
The indictment charges Gannon with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of non-public government information, merchandise fraud, wire fraud, and conducting an illegal cash transaction.
He was scheduled to appear before US Magistrate Brian S. Myers in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The case has been referred to U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett in the Southern District of New York.
The Justice Department accuses Van Dyke of using details of Maduro’s secret raid to trade Venezuelan contracts
The indictment, unsealed in Manhattan federal court, says Gannon was stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville and signed nondisclosure agreements related to his military work. These agreements prohibited him from sharing confidential or sensitive military information. One clause states that he “shall never disclose, publish or reveal in writing, words, conduct or otherwise” any protected information related to the operations.
Prosecutors say Gannon joined in the planning and implementation of Operation Absolute Dissolution from approximately December 8, 2025 until at least January 6, 2026. During that period, he allegedly had access to sensitive, non-public and confidential details about the plan to arrest Maduro. This access later became a special commercial advantage, the government says.
In 2025, Polymarket, run by Blockratize Inc., offered bilateral contracts linked to Venezuela and Maduro. Markets covered whether US troops will enter Venezuela on specific dates, whether Maduro will be removed from power, whether the US will invade Venezuela by January 31, and whether Trump will invoke war powers against Venezuela by a certain date.
The indictment says Gannon opened and funded the Polymarket account on approximately December 26, 2025. From December 27, 2025, through the evening of January 26, he allegedly placed approximately 13 bets.
All of the deals sided with “yes” regarding the entry of US troops into Venezuela, Maduro’s exit by January 31, 2026, a US invasion by that deadline, or Trump’s use of war powers.
Prosecutors say Van Dyke transferred the cryptocurrency proceeds after Polymarket paid Yes
Prosecutors say Gannon gambled $33,034 while keeping secret information about the operation. During the predawn hours of January 3, US forces arrested Maduro and his wife at a home in Caracas, Venezuela.
Hours later, the president announced the operation. Polymarket then settled several contracts with “yes,” including “Maduro exit by January 31, 2026” and “US forces in Venezuela by January 31, 2026.”
The Justice Department says Gannon won those bets and made profits of about $409,881. On the same day of the raid, he allegedly withdrew most of the funds from Polymarket, sent much of it to a foreign cryptocurrency vault, and then moved the funds to a newly created online brokerage account.
After newspaper publications and social media reported unusual trading in Maduro’s market, prosecutors say he tried to hide the identity of who made the trades.
On approximately January 6, 2026, Gannon allegedly asked Polymarket to delete his account and falsely stated that he had lost access to the email associated with it.
On the same day, he allegedly changed the email on his cryptocurrency exchange account to another address that prosecutors say was not registered in his name and was created around December 14, 2025.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said classified information is given to troops to carry out missions, not for personal gain. “Widespread access to prediction markets is a relatively new phenomenon, but federal laws protecting national security information fully apply,” he said.
“Today’s announcement makes clear that no one is above the law, and that the FBI will do everything in its power to defend the homeland and protect our nation’s secrets,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. Cash also said permit holders who try to take advantage of their access will be held accountable.
Jay Clayton He said “Prediction markets are no haven” for misuse of confidential information and described the alleged behavior as insider trading, while James C. Barnacle Jr. said Gannon had betrayed his fellow soldiers and made more than $400,000.
Gannon faces three Commodity Exchange Act charges, each carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, as well as wire fraud, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years, and illegal cash transaction charges, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years. Congress sets these maximum limits. Any ruling will be decided by the judge.
