A U.S. soldier has been arrested on charges related to placing $400,000 in bets on the prediction market Polymarket regarding the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to the Department of Justice. The arrest was reported by CNBC on April 24, 2026.
The soldier, whose name has not been released, allegedly used inside information to place the bets, which were made before the public announcement of Maduro's capture. The DOJ stated that the bets were placed on Polymarket, a decentralized prediction market platform.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the use of prediction markets for insider trading and the potential for military personnel to exploit sensitive information. The soldier faces charges of securities fraud and conspiracy, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
