Representative Anna Paulina Luna called for the pardon of a U.S. special forces soldier charged after allegedly profiting from a $400,000 Polymarket bet tied to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The Florida Republican said on X that prosecuting the soldier, U.S. Army Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, while allowing members of Congress to engage in unchecked insider trading amounts to unequal justice.
She posted, “Maybe not a popular take but I am calling for this guy to be pardoned. Unless the DOJ plans on going after all the crooks in congress currently insider trading, this is simply skewed justice. There is no ‘justice’ when guys like this get the book thrown at him yet members are illegally profiting every day. I don’t agree with what he did and he should be required to disgorge all the profits however, unless the DOJ plans on doing Congress next, this is not justice.”
Her comments could intensify scrutiny of how the Justice Department enforces insider‑trading laws and renew calls for broader investigations into lawmakers’ trading activity.
Florida GOP Congressman Jimmy Patronis on Thursday night also posted to X, with Luna’s remark about a potential pardon.
Donald Trump Draws Pete Rose Comparison on Alleged Maduro Bet
Speaking to reporters later in the White House, President Donald Trump was asked about the soldier’s alleged bet. The president questioned whether the soldier was betting on Maduro’s capture, and after a reporter clarified that the wager was on Maduro’s removal from office, Trump compared it to the late Pete Rose betting on his own Major League Baseball team.
“That’s like Pete Rose betting on his own team. They kept him out of the Hall of Fame. Now if he bet against his team, that would be no good.”
Asked about bets on the Iran conflict and concerns about insider trading, Trump said he disliked the trend but added that the world has increasingly become “something of a casino.”
DOJ: Gannon Ken Van Dyke Exploited Classified Details of Maduro Operation
Van Dyke is accused of exploiting nonpublic government information while participating in a U.S. military operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and removal from office. An indictment unsealed Thursday charges Van Dyke with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction.
According to prosecutors, Van Dyke was an active‑duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and was involved in the planning and execution of Operation Absolute Resolve, the mission that led to Maduro’s capture and transport to the United States in early January. As part of his duties, Van Dyke had signed a nondisclosure agreement barring him from sharing or using classified or sensitive operational information.
Federal authorities allege that between late December 2025 and early January 2026, Van Dyke opened and funded a Polymarket account and placed a series of bets on Venezuela‑related outcomes, including whether the United States would take action before the end of January. Prosecutors say all of the wagers reflected outcomes Van Dyke allegedly knew were imminent because of his role in the operation.
Officials say Van Dyke ultimately profited more than $400,000, transferred the proceeds to a foreign cryptocurrency wallet and later moved the funds into an online brokerage account. The indictment also alleges that he took steps to conceal his identity, including requesting the deletion of his betting account and changing associated email addresses, as scrutiny of the trades intensified.
“Today’s announcement makes clear no one is above the law, and this FBI will do whatever it takes to defend the homeland and safeguard our nation’s secrets,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable.”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said federal law fully applies to conduct involving prediction markets, despite their relative novelty. The case will proceed in federal court in New York, where Van Dyke is expected to be arraigned.
Polymarket and Allegations of Insider Trading
Polymarket has seen a number of well-timed bets on major international and national security events, including the Iran war and Maduro’s capture. Lawmakers have raised concerns about these wagers, with many alleging that insider information played a role.
One of those bets—on whether Maduro would be ousted by the end of January—drew significant attention due to its relatively short existence, the money involved, and the timing: The account was created in December and played a $33,034 bet, paying out $409,881. The same account made bets on U.S. forces being in Venezuela by January 31, the U.S. invading by that deadline, and Trump invoking War Powers against Venezuela by that time.
Researchers at Harvard have estimated that more than $143 million in profits on Polymarket may be linked to individuals with access to nonpublic information across a range of events.
However, the White House said no private information is being capitalized on by administration officials, whether on traditional platforms or the more heavily scrutinized prediction markets.
How Prediction Markets Are Tackling Insider Trading
After separate legislation was introduced to curb sports-related contracts, Polymarket and its more tightly regulated rival, Kalshi, last month announced their own set of guardrails to clamp down on “insider trading and market manipulation.”
Polymarket rules bar three forms of insider trading: trading on stolen confidential information in breach of a duty; trading on illegal tips when the trader knows the source was barred from using them; and trading by anyone with authority or influence capable of affecting the outcome of the underlying event, directly or indirectly.
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