A U.S. Special Forces soldier has been arrested on suspicion of using classified information to profit from a bet on the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. According to American prosecutors, the servicemember exploited confidential knowledge of a covert operation to wager on its outcome.
The soldier allegedly placed bets through a so-called prediction market, staking money on when Maduro would be apprehended. Because he had advance knowledge of the operation, prosecutors say he was able to earn a substantial sum, totaling approximately $400,000 in winnings.
The case centers on a covert U.S. operation in which Maduro was arrested in early 2026 and extradited to the United States to stand trial. The soldier was among those with inside knowledge of the planning and execution of that mission.
Prosecutors allege the servicemember abused classified state secrets for personal financial gain. The case is being regarded as one of the first known instances of confidential military intelligence being used to profit from online prediction markets.
