Charges have been brought in the United States against a special forces soldier involved in the operation to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, for leveraging classified information for financial gain through betting. This information was released by the press office of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in New York via their website.
The indictment was made public on April 23rd in the federal court in Manhattan.
According to the investigation, between December 2025 and January 2026, 38-year-old Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke took part in planning the operation to extract Maduro from Caracas while simultaneously placing wagers on the Polymarket platform, utilizing access to top-secret data.
Authorities report that Van Dyke placed approximately 13 bets, including wagering on the deployment of US troops to Venezuela and the removal of Maduro, thereby netting over $400,000. Following the operation, he converted the funds into cryptocurrency and attempted to eliminate his online profile.
Investigators contend that the serviceman exploited his official capacity for personal enrichment. The soldier faces accusations of illicit use of confidential government information, fraud, and other offenses. He could potentially receive a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
On January 3rd, the US executed an operation to remove Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Caracas. At the time, CBS reported that Maduro was seized by Delta Force operatives. Both individuals were forcibly transported to the US and brought before a court. The couple was charged with “narcoterrorism,” drug trafficking, and illegal weapons possession. Officials from the South American nation characterized the incident as an act of military aggression, stating that 100 people perished during the events in early January.
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