A U.S. special forces soldier involved in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arrested for allegedly betting on that operation, netting him $400,000 in profits, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The outsized trade caught the attention of law enforcement almost immediately.
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The trader opened an account in late December on Polymarket, one of the best-known prediction markets. He placed about $32,000 that Maduro would be “out” by January. The bet was a long-shot.
Shortly after it was placed, the U.S. military launched a covert operation that extradited Maduro from the presidential palace in Caracas in an overnight capture while coming under heavy fire. Maduro was transported to New York to face federal drug-trafficking related charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
CNN reported last month that federal prosecutors were investigating the Maduro trade, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The chiefs of the securities and commodity fraud unit at the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan met with representatives at Polymarket that month. ABC News first reported Thursday’s arrest.
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