US Diplomats Warned: Do Not Use Classified Information to Bet on Prediction Sites

Odaily Odaily Planet Daily News According to an internal State Department memo seen by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. diplomats have been warned not to use classified information to place bets on prediction websites. As large sums of money related to U.S.-Iran negotiations flow into these bets, the memo reminds all employees that using non-public information for personal financial gain is a serious violation of regulations and will not be tolerated. This warning comes a week after a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier pleaded not guilty to charges of using classified information to bet on Polymarket regarding the ousting of Venezuela's former president, netting over $400,000 in profits. Officials stated that the rapid rise of online prediction markets has become a major potential national security issue for the United States. Last month, just hours before Trump announced a ceasefire agreement with Iran, multiple accounts on Polymarket made precise and well-timed bets, profiting tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.