GOP Rep. Luna Calls for Clemency for Soldier Charged in Maduro Raid Betting, Notes Congress Plays the Same Game
The report focuses on the case of a U.S. special Forces soldier, gannon Ken Van Dyke, who is charged with using confidential government facts for personal gain in connection with insider betting on the Maduro raid. He allegedly bet about $33,034 on the Maduro operation through Polymarket and netted more than $409,000 from 13 bets placed in advance of the raid, according to a Department of Justice news release. The DOJ says Van Dyke participated in the planning and execution of the operation to capture Nicolás Maduro and faces charges including unlawful use of nonpublic government information, theft of nonpublic information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions.
Politically,Republican Rep. anna Paulina Luna of Florida urged that Van Dyke be pardoned, arguing that the DOJ shoudl either prosecute everyone who profits from insider information or prosecute no one, and she framed the issue within broader concerns about insider trading in Congress. The piece connects Luna’s stance to ongoing discussions about insider trading involving members of Congress and references similar criticisms aimed at Nancy Pelosi. It also notes comments from Donald Trump about the gambling world and insider trading, tying the story to wider political debate over equity, accountability, and the treatment of such cases in public discourse. The article includes numerous quotes and social-media posts reflecting partisan reactions to the case.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida says the soldier charged with using inside information about the raid that captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to bet on its outcome should be pardoned.
Special forces soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke “bet a total of approximately $33,034” on the Maduro operation on Polymarket, netting more than $409,000 from 13 bets that began days before the operation took place, according to a Department of Justice news release.
The release said Van Dyke “participated in the planning and execution of the U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro.”
He was charged with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction.
Luna said that given the breadth of insider trading in Congress — an allegation leveled for many years at former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — the Justice Department should either prosecute everyone who profits off of what they know, or they should not prosecute anyone.
“Maybe not a popular take but I am calling for this guy to be pardoned,” Luna posted on X.
“Unless the DOJ plans on going after all the crooks in congress currently insider trading, this is simply skewed justice,” she wrote.
“There is no ‘justice’ when guys like this get the book thrown at him yet members are illegally profiting every day,” she wrote.
Maybe not a popular take but I am calling for this guy to be pardoned. Unless the DOJ plans on going after all the crooks in congress currently insider trading, this is simply skewed justice. There is no “justice” when guys like this get the book thrown at him yet members are… https://t.co/b5hFXY3Ryp
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 23, 2026
“I don’t agree with what he did and he should be required to disgorge all the profits however, unless the DOJ plans on doing Congress next, this is not justice,” she wrote.
Luna’s comments hearken to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, when he jabbed Pelosi over the wealth amassed by her husband, Paul Pelosi, through profitable stock dealings many have alleged were enabled by inside information gathered by Pelosi.
“Let’s also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information,” Trump said then, according to Fox News.
“They stood up for that. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Did Nancy Pelosi stand up — if she’s here? Doubt it,” Trump said after Democrats rose to applaud the comment.
Anna is correct.
The amount of corruption we’re seeing on a daily basis is mind boggling, but an actual hero warfighter soldier is the one chosen to take the fall?
Absurdity. https://t.co/9FV98q1LgH
— Rob Smith (@robsmithonline) April 24, 2026
In response to Van Dyke’s arrest, Trump noted the pervasive nature of gambling, according to NBC News.
“The whole world, unfortunately, has become somewhat of a casino,” Trump said.
“I’m not happy with any of that stuff,” he added.
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