A U.S. Army Special Forces master sergeant accused of using classified information to profit over $400,000 from bets on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s capture made a bold entrance at his federal court appearance.
Court Appearance Draws Attention
Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, swaggered into federal court on Tuesday wearing aviator sunglasses. The soldier faces multiple felony charges stemming from his alleged insider trading on prediction market Polymarket. He was released earlier on a $250,000 unsecured bond after an initial hearing and ordered to appear in Manhattan federal court.
Allegations of Insider Trading
Prosecutors charge that Van Dyke, involved in planning and executing Operation Absolute Resolve, accessed sensitive details about the January 3, 2026, raid that apprehended Maduro and his wife in Caracas. Starting December 26, 2025, he opened a Polymarket account and placed 13 bets totaling around $33,000 on outcomes like “Maduro out by January 31,” “U.S. forces in Venezuela by January 31,” and related events—all favoring “YES.”
The operation’s success led Polymarket to resolve the contracts in his favor, yielding approximately $409,881 in profits. Van Dyke then transferred funds to a foreign cryptocurrency vault and a new brokerage account, later attempting to erase traces by requesting account deletion and altering emails.
Federal Charges and Potential Penalties
Van Dyke faces charges including unlawful use of confidential government information, theft of nonpublic data, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions. Conviction could result in up to 60 years in prison. Officials emphasize that service members must safeguard classified details, regardless of emerging platforms like prediction markets.
“Those entrusted to safeguard our nation’s secrets have a duty to protect them,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated. FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle, Jr., added, “Van Dyke allegedly betrayed his fellow soldiers by utilizing classified information for his own financial gain.”
Background on the Operation
Operation Absolute Resolve unfolded in predawn hours on January 3, 2026, with U.S. special forces capturing Maduro. President Trump announced the success shortly after. Van Dyke, who enlisted in 2008, signed nondisclosure agreements prohibiting disclosure of operation specifics.
