Green Beret Charged With Trading on Classified Venezuela Operation

Clear Facts

• DOJ charged a U.S. Special Forces soldier with insider trading for profiting from classified information about the Venezuela raid that removed Nicolás Maduro
• The soldier allegedly made $400,000 by betting on the outcome of the military operation before it became public
• Federal authorities arrested the service member for exploiting advance knowledge of the December raid for personal financial gain

A U.S. Special Forces soldier faces federal charges for allegedly using classified military intelligence to enrich himself before last year’s operation that ousted Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. The Department of Justice arrested the Green Beret on insider trading charges after investigators discovered he had profited nearly $400,000 from advance knowledge of the raid.

According to federal prosecutors, the soldier exploited his access to classified operational details about the December mission to place strategic bets ahead of public disclosure. The case represents a serious breach of military protocol and national security safeguards designed to prevent service members from monetizing sensitive information.

The charges underscore growing concerns about information security within elite military units. Special operations personnel routinely handle highly classified intelligence that, if misused, could compromise missions or provide unfair financial advantages.

DOJ officials indicated the investigation revealed the soldier’s trades were executed in the days and weeks leading up to the operation that ultimately removed Maduro from power. The timing and nature of the financial transactions raised immediate red flags for federal investigators monitoring unusual market activity.

This case marks a rare prosecution of a service member for financial crimes related to classified military operations. The soldier faces potential prison time, dishonorable discharge, and forfeiture of all proceeds from the alleged illegal trading activity.

Military justice experts note that such violations carry severe consequences precisely because they undermine operational security and erode public trust in the armed forces. The defendant’s elite status within Special Forces makes the alleged betrayal particularly troubling to military leadership.

The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors examine whether additional individuals may have been involved in the trading scheme. Federal authorities continue to review financial records and communications to determine the full scope of the alleged misconduct.

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