US Soldier Accused of Profiting from State Secrets
An unusual incident has shaken the military and financial sectors in the United States, as reported by Zamin.uz. A soldier involved in covert operations is accused of making a significant amount of money on the betting market by utilizing state secrets.
The case is linked to an operation aimed at capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The US Department of Justice has filed formal charges against Master Sergeant Gannon Van Dyke.
According to reports, the 38-year-old serviceman used top-secret information entrusted to him for personal enrichment. Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that sensitive information is provided to military personnel solely for the safe and effective execution of missions, and profiting financially from such data is strictly prohibited.
According to the indictment, Van Dyke placed bets on the Polymarket prediction market regarding the entry of US forces into Venezuela and Maduro's removal from power. As a result, he earned a net profit of $400,000.
These events took place several weeks before Maduro's arrest. The Manhattan federal court is charging the soldier with theft of government information, fraud, and illegal financial transactions.
Investigators noted that the serviceman left incriminating evidence behind. Early on the morning Maduro was captured, he posted a photo of himself in military uniform and armed on the deck of a ship to social media.
This image became key evidence proving his presence at the center of the operation. President Donald Trump expressed a peculiar view of the situation, comparing it to the case of baseball star Pete Rose betting on his own team's victory.
Noting that the soldier bet on his own side winning, Trump stated he would look into the matter. This case marks the first official charge in US history regarding insider trading conducted through a prediction market.
The Department of Justice reiterated that classified information is not a means for soldiers to get rich. For its part, the Polymarket platform stated it is cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies.
