The US Department of Justice has filed charges against Gannon Kane Van Dyke, a 38-year-old member of the US Special Forces, for allegedly using classified military information to profit from bets related to the potential capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutors claim Van Dyke earned more than $400,000 by placing 13 bets on the prediction market platform Polymarket, wagering on whether US forces would attack Venezuela and when Maduro might be removed from power.

Investigators said Van Dyke was an active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and had access to confidential details about a secret mission called “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which aimed to apprehend Maduro. The FBI described his actions as a severe breach of public trust, alleging that he exploited sensitive information for personal gain.

Van Dyke faces three counts of violating commodity exchange laws, one count of wire fraud, and one count of conducting an illegal financial transaction. The charges carry potential prison sentences of up to 20 years for wire fraud and 10 years for other offenses.