A U.S. Army special forces soldier who participated in planning the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified information to place bets on the outcome of that mission, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, allegedly made more than $400,000 by wagering on Venezuela-related prediction markets in the days surrounding the Jan. 3 U.S. raid in Caracas, according to an indictment unsealed in federal court in Manhattan.

Prosecutors say Van Dyke used his access to sensitive, nonpublic details about “Operation Absolute Resolve” — the pre-dawn mission that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores — to place at least 13 bets on the online platform Polymarket between late December and late January.

Those wagers, totaling about $33,000, were placed on outcomes that later proved accurate, including that U.S. forces would enter Venezuela and that Maduro would be removed from power before the end of January, authorities said.

Following the president’s announcement of the operation, the prediction markets resolved in Van Dyke’s favor, generating profits of approximately $409,881, according to prosecutors.

Van Dyke is charged with unlawful use of confidential government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and engaging in an unlawful monetary transaction. If convicted, he faces decades in prison. He is expected to make an initial court appearance in North Carolina before the case proceeds in federal court in New York.

The Jan. 3 raid marked one of the most consequential U.S. military actions in Latin America in decades.

In the early hours of that morning, U.S. special operations forces entered Caracas and carried out a targeted mission at a residential compound where Maduro was staying. Within hours, U.S. officials announced that Maduro and his wife had been taken into custody in what they described as a precision operation aimed at minimizing civilian casualties.

The operation quickly reshaped Venezuela’s political landscape. Maduro’s removal ended years of entrenched rule and paved the way for an interim government led by senior Chavista figure Delcy Rodríguez, who has since overseen a U.S.-backed effort focused on stabilization, economic recovery and a potential political transition.

“Our men and women in uniform are trusted with classified information … and are prohibited from using this highly sensitive information for personal financial gain,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

The case is one of the first major criminal prosecutions at the intersection of national security and prediction markets, a fast-growing sector that allows users to bet on the likelihood of real-world events.

Federal authorities said Van Dyke, an active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, had signed nondisclosure agreements and was directly involved in planning the Maduro operation, giving him access to highly restricted intelligence.

Despite those obligations, prosecutors allege he created a Polymarket account in late December and began trading on contracts tied to Venezuela, including the likelihood of a U.S. military intervention and Maduro’s removal.

“Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.

According to the indictment, Van Dyke took steps to conceal his activity after the operation became public and reports of unusual trading surfaced. Authorities say he attempted to delete his account and moved funds through cryptocurrency channels before transferring them into a brokerage account.

Polymarket said it cooperated with investigators after identifying suspicious activity linked to classified information.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the case should serve as a warning to government personnel with security clearances.

“Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable,” Patel said.

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