A US Army soldier has been indicted for allegedly using classified information to profit from cryptocurrency prediction markets. Prosecutors state Gannon Ken Van Dyke used nonpublic details from “Operation Absolute Resolve” to place winning bets on Polymarket contracts related to Venezuela. The indictment alleges he wagered around $33,000 and later profited approximately $409,881. Van Dyke faces multiple federal charges, including fraud and unlawful transactions.
A US Army soldier has been charged with using classified government information to profit from prediction market bets, an indictment unsealed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York shows. Authorities say Gannon Ken Van Dyke faces charges including unlawful use of confidential data, theft, and fraud.
A statement from prosecutors alleges he used sensitive information from his role in “Operation Absolute Resolve” to place bets on Polymarket. Van Dyke had signed nondisclosure agreements prohibiting such use of classified knowledge.
The indictment states between late December 2025 and early January 2026, he placed roughly 13 bets tied to outcomes regarding Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro. These contracts predicted events like a US force presence and Maduro’s removal by January 31, 2026. US special forces captured Maduro on January 3, 2026, leading several contracts to settle in Van Dyke’s favor.
He allegedly wagered about $33,034 while possessing the classified information. His total profits reportedly reached approximately $409,881 after the operation succeeded. Van Dyke then moved most funds to a foreign cryptocurrency vault and a new online brokerage account.
As scrutiny of unusual trading activity grew, he allegedly tried to hide his involvement by requesting his Polymarket account be deleted under false pretenses. He also changed the email on his cryptocurrency exchange account to one not registered in his name. Van Dyke is scheduled to appear before a US magistrate judge in North Carolina.
In a statement, FBI Director Kash Patel said, “Today’s announcement makes clear no one is above the law, and this FBI will do whatever it takes to defend the homeland and safeguard our nation’s secrets.” The statement added, “Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable.”
In a separate case, Kalshi recently suspended three US political candidates after discovering they traded on their own election outcomes. The platform identified Matt Klein, Ezekiel Enriquez, and Mark Moran as participants. Klein and Enriquez cooperated, received fines and five-year bans for trades under $100.
Moran made multiple trades tied to his campaign, including before formally announcing his candidacy. He later stopped engaging with investigators and was issued a larger penalty, ordered to return profits, and banned for five years.
