The US has arrested Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a soldier involved in the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, for profiting over $400,000 from betting on his own operation’s success. Prosecutors allege he made substantial gains just days before the highly anticipated event.

Van Dyke's motive was clear: he saw the upcoming operation as a sure bet and placed significant ‘YES’ shares on Maduro and Venezuela-related markets in the weeks leading up to the capture. His bets paid off handsomely, earning him $409,881 in total profits. The irony of using prediction market platforms for insider trading is not lost on legal authorities.

However, Van Dyke attempted to cover his tracks once media reports surfaced. On January 6, 2026, he requested Polymarket to delete his account and changed the email registered with his cryptocurrency exchange, a move prosecutors argue shows an attempt to obstruct justice and evade accountability. His actions have raised questions about the integrity of prediction markets in sensitive contexts.

Van Dyke now faces multiple charges under the Commodity Exchange Act, wire fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions, carrying maximum sentences of 20 years for each count. Legal experts are debating whether his case will set a precedent for how insider information is treated within these platforms.