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Soldier Secretly Bet on His Own Raid

curiousApr 25, 2026·291 words·3 min read

A United States Army special forces soldier has been charged with using secret military information to make more than $400,000 by betting on the outcome of the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutors say Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, who was based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, helped plan and carry out the raid in Caracas on January 3, 2026.

Van Dyke used fake names on the website, including "Burdensome-Mix." After the operation succeeded, his bets paid about $409,881. He then moved the money through an online account. This is the first time the United States government has charged someone for using secret information to make money on a prediction market.

When news reports noticed the large payments, Van Dyke tried to hide. He asked the website to delete his account three days after the raid. He said he lost his email, but prosecutors say this was not true. Van Dyke now faces five charges and could go to prison for up to 20 years.

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