Soldier arrested for betting on Maduro with classified intel

Federal prosecutors arrested a U.S. soldier and charged the service member with unlawful use of classified information after agents detected unusual activity on the prediction market Polymarket.

Court documents allege the soldier, who had access to classified intelligence on Venezuelan operations, viewed or obtained sensitive material and then placed a wager forecasting the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The investigation began after authorities identified irregular transactions tied to a Polymarket account. Transactions on the platform are recorded and can be traced, which investigators say helped link the suspicious bet to the service member's account.

Federal prosecutors are handling the case in coordination with military investigative authorities. Military investigators notified civilian law enforcement after identifying potential misuse of classified information. The service member was taken into custody and is awaiting an initial federal court appearance.

Prosecutors are examining whether the wager was timed to information not available to the public and whether any classified reporting was copied, shared or retained in violation of law. The complaint includes charges related to unlawful use of classified material and unauthorized disclosure.

Military personnel and other cleared individuals are subject to rules on handling classified material. Unlawful retention or transmission of classified information can result in criminal charges, court-martial and confinement under federal law.

Nicolás Maduro has led Venezuela since 2013. U.S. relations with his government have been strained for years, and operations involving Venezuelan security matters are treated as highly sensitive by U.S. intelligence and defense officials.

The investigation is ongoing. Prosecutors have indicated additional details could be released as the case proceeds. Defense counsel for the accused has not commented publicly. The outcome will depend on what classified material, if any, was accessed and how it was used in connection with the Polymarket transaction.