A White House teleprompter operator, Gabriel Perez, is no longer employed by the federal government after being placed on unpaid leave over allegations that he used insider knowledge to bet on President Donald Trump’s speeches, according to an anonymous official. Perez left his government job, though it remains unclear whether he resigned or was fired. The allegations, first reported by ABC News, claim Perez made over $100,000 through bets on the prediction market Kalshi based on advance knowledge of Trump’s major speeches, including the State of the Union. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the reported insider trading as “deeply unfortunate and, frankly, a disgrace.” Kalshi’s lawyer Robert Denault said the company’s surveillance team detected the trades, investigated them, and referred the matter to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The case highlights ongoing legal battles over prediction markets.
Gabriel Perez, a White House teleprompter operator, is no longer employed by the federal government after being placed on unpaid leave. An anonymous official confirmed his departure but did not specify whether he resigned or was fired.
The allegations, first reported by ABC News, state that Perez made more than $100,000 through bets on the online prediction market Kalshi. The wagers were allegedly based on advance knowledge of what President Donald Trump would say during major speeches, including the State of the Union address earlier this year.
The White House responded sharply. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the reported insider trading as “deeply unfortunate and, frankly, a disgrace.”
Kalshi also responded after the report was published. Robert Denault, the company’s lawyer and head of enforcement, posted on X that its surveillance team detected the trades, investigated them, and referred the matter to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). His statement did not identify Perez by name.
Kalshi has faced legal hurdles this year in Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, and Washington. In April, the prediction market suspended three political candidates for betting on elections they were contesting, determining those trades amounted to political insider trading under its CFTC-approved rules.
An insider trading case on Polymarket also emerged that same month. Federal prosecutors charged U.S. soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with allegedly betting on whether former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would be removed from power. Authorities said Van Dyke, who worked on the operation targeting Maduro, made about $400,000 from the trades.
The legal battle over prediction markets took a new turn this week. A federal judge temporarily blocked Minnesota from enforcing a new law that would have banned prediction markets in the state. Judge Katherine Menendez said the law is likely preempted by the federal Commodity Exchange Act because many event contracts may qualify as federally regulated swaps. The law, signed by Governor Tim Walz in May, was set to take effect on Saturday. The judge stated the injunction could later be narrowed if needed.
