Trump Says Venezuela Leaker Jailed As Polymarket Betting Draws Scrutiny

TLDR

• Trump confirmed a Venezuela leaker has been jailed after early Polymarket bets surfaced.
• Two wallets inactive after gaining thousands from Venezuela-related Polymarket bets.
• One wallet remains active, now betting on Iran’s Supreme Leader being ousted.
• U.S. lawmakers are reviewing laws to address insider trading in prediction markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that the individual who leaked classified information regarding Venezuela is now in jail. This comes as blockchain analysts raise questions about unusual betting activity on Polymarket tied to political events in Venezuela. Several accounts that profited from early bets on Venezuelan leadership have gone silent, drawing new attention to prediction markets and insider trading concerns.

Suspected Leaker Jailed Following Unusual Bets

President Donald Trump announced that a person who leaked classified information related to Venezuela has been jailed. The statement was made in the Oval Office and shared by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. While Trump did not provide the name or role of the person, he said, “The leaker on Venezuela has been found and is in jail right now.”

Blockchain analysts and observers have linked the incident to a cluster of wallets on Polymarket that made suspiciously accurate bets. These bets predicted that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would be out of office by January 31, 2026. The bets were placed shortly before the news became public.

Two wallets, identified as 0xa72DB1 and 0x31a56e, reportedly became inactive after turning small investments into large gains. One wallet turned $5,800 into $75,000, according to on-chain tracking group Lookonchain.

Polymarket Activity Draws Attention

Polymarket is a blockchain-based prediction market where users bet on political and global events. The wallets in question made high-stake predictions that turned out to be correct before any public information was available. Analysts suggest that the timing of these bets raises concerns about insider access to non-public data.

According to Lookonchain, two of the three accounts involved in the bets have not been active for more than ten days. However, a third account named SBet365 placed a new bet just two days ago. It predicted the ousting of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by the end of January 2026.

The SBet365 wallet previously earned about $140,000 from wagers tied to Maduro’s potential ouster, further intensifying scrutiny from authorities and blockchain researchers.

Regulatory Pressure Increases on Prediction Markets

U.S. lawmakers are increasing their focus on prediction markets amid concerns about possible insider trading. A proposed bill aims to restrict such trading, especially involving political outcomes. There is growing concern that unregulated offshore platforms may allow misuse of sensitive information.

Sean Patrick Maloney, CEO of the Coalition for Prediction Markets, said that platforms under U.S. jurisdiction already follow strict Know Your Customer (KYC) rules. He emphasized the need to distinguish between regulated and offshore markets.

“Consistent with current law, offshore, unregistered platforms should not be able to operate in the U.S.,” Maloney told Cointelegraph. He added that regulatory oversight is needed to prevent unlawful activity.

Investigation May Continue as Trump Mentions Other Suspects

President Trump suggested that the investigation may not be over. “There could be some others, and we will let you know about that,” he stated during the same briefing. This comment signals that further action may be taken against individuals who may have leaked information or profited from it unlawfully.

Analysts and observers are now watching prediction markets more closely, especially in cases where wallets show sudden success followed by long periods of inactivity. The U.S. government may continue to examine such activity as part of broader efforts to regulate blockchain-based finance platforms.

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