Special Forces Soldier Charged With Using Classified Intel to Win $400K in Online Bets

A U.S. Army Master Sergeant who helped plan and execute the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified knowledge of that mission to pocket more than $400,000 in an online prediction market, federal prosecutors in New York announced Thursday.

Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, a special forces soldier stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, faces five federal charges: unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. Each count carries potential prison time.

Van Dyke joined the Army in 2008 and was promoted to Master Sergeant — the second-highest enlisted rank — in 2023, according to the indictment. He was embedded in the Maduro operation beginning Dec. 8, 2025, after signing nondisclosure agreements barring him from disclosing any classified or sensitive information about the mission, prosecutors said. Within weeks, they allege, he opened an account on the cryptocurrency-based prediction platform Polymarket and placed roughly 13 bets wagering that U.S. forces would be operating in Venezuela and that Maduro would be removed from power by Jan. 31, 2026. He won. After collecting his winnings, prosecutors allege, he moved most of the funds into a foreign cryptocurrency vault, then transferred the money into a new brokerage account. He also asked Polymarket to delete his account, claiming he had lost access to the associated email address, according to court documents.

Following the raid, Van Dyke was photographed on the deck of a ship wearing U.S. military fatigues and carrying a rifle alongside three other service members, the indictment notes.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement Thursday that the case sends an unambiguous message. "Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable," Patel said.

The charges arrive amid broader scrutiny of classified-information leaks into prediction markets. Earlier this month, a cluster of new Polymarket accounts placed precise, well-timed bets on whether the U.S. and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7 — bets that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits. The White House warned staff against using government information to trade on prediction markets on the same day reporting on those bets became public.

The Pentagon referred questions to the Army and the Department of Justice. U.S. Special Operations Command did not respond to requests for comment.

For Treasure Coast residents, the case carries particular weight: Florida's Treasure Coast is home to thousands of active-duty service members and veterans connected to Fort Bragg and other installations through family ties and reserve assignments. Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties have deep military communities whose members hold security clearances, and local veterans' advocates said the case underscores the legal and ethical lines that clearance holders cross at serious peril. No Treasure Coast-area service members have been implicated; prosecutors have not indicated the investigation extends beyond Van Dyke. No trial date has been set.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.