Federal enforcement
Commodity Futures Trading Commission v. Gannon Ken Van Dyke
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1:26-cv-03369
Pending
Stayed. On Aug. 10, 2026 Judge Andrew Carter granted the government's request to pause the civil case until the parallel criminal case ends. The CFTC's claims are allegations.
The question
Whether the CFTC's anti-fraud rules reach trading on a prediction-market contract based on misappropriated classified information.
The CFTC sued Army service member Gannon Ken Van Dyke in federal court in Manhattan on April 23, 2026, the day his criminal indictment was unsealed. It alleges that he used nonpublic information about the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, gained through his role in it, to buy more than 436,000 Yes shares in a Polymarket contract on Maduro leaving office by Jan. 31, 2026, making more than $404,000. The agency seeks restitution, disgorgement, penalties, trading bans and an injunction. These are allegations. The civil case was stayed in August 2026 pending the criminal case.
Docket timeline
Judge Andrew Carter stayed the civil case pending the outcome of the criminal proceeding, granting a July motion by prosecutors.
Source: cointelegraph.com
The case was assigned to Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr.
Source: dockets.justia.com
The CFTC filed a civil complaint in the Southern District of New York (No. 1:26-cv-03369) alleging Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC rule violations, in parallel with the criminal indictment.
Source: cftc.gov