A special forces soldier involved in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty
A special forces soldier involved in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he used classified information about the operation to secure over $400,000 in illegal profits. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a 38-year-old active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, appeared in a New York federal court to face the allegations. The case marks a landmark legal moment as the first time federal prosecutors have brought charges related to bets placed on prediction markets, platforms where users wager on the outcomes of geopolitical events, sports, and pop culture. Prosecutors allege that Van Dyke, who was reportedly part of the team that extracted Maduro from Caracas on January 3, used his insider knowledge to place $32,000 in bets on Polymarket. His wagers correctly predicted that Maduro would be out of Venezuela by the end of January, resulting in a payout exceeding $400,000. Defense attorney Mark Geragos defended Van Dyke as an "American hero...