Republicans want Trump to pardon soldier arrested for placing bet on Maduro’s capture

WorldPolitics
24 Apr 2026 • 11:41 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • U.S. Army Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke was indicted for allegedly using classified information about Nicolas Maduro's capture to earn over $400,000 through bets on the Polymarket platform.
  • Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Jimmy Patronis are calling for a pardon for Van Dyke, arguing that prosecuting him while members of Congress who engage in insider trading go unpunished constitutes "skewed justice."
  • The case has intensified scrutiny on prediction markets, raising concerns about government employees using sensitive information for personal financial gain and creating perverse incentives.
  • Polymarket stated it identified the suspicious trades and reported them to law enforcement, asserting that "insider trading has no place" on its platform.
  • Donald Trump commented on the arrest, comparing it to Pete Rose betting on his own team and describing the world as having become "somewhat of a casino."

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