British YouTuber accused of $14M Polymarket manipulation

British YouTuber Lord Miles’ fasting on a desert bet was resolved as “no” on Polymarket after he inexplicably disappeared from live footage and was presumed dead. It has now been confirmed that he is still alive, but under police custody.

Lord Miles has been accused of manipulating a Polymarket betting market “Lord Miles completes 40-day water fast in the desert?” The 26-year-old influencer had been streaming from a desert tent throughout his fasting attempt, posting regular updates on his YouTube channel. 

For nearly two weeks, his account went silent, which led many netizens to believe he was dead. His X account was also restricted during the period, with posts visible only to followers.

Lord Miles still alive, arrested in Saudi Arabia

According to crypto content creator and scams investigator Coffeezilla, wagers surpassed $14 million in total volume, but odds stumbled when he vanished from live footage in late September.

Reports circulated on social platforms that Lord Miles had collapsed into a coma while being treated in a Saudi Arabian hospital. Doctors allegedly administered glucose intravenously, causing his body to go into shock. 

Confusion deepened when news emerged that Lord Miles had been arrested in Saudi Arabia on unspecified terrorism charges. Those managing his official account issued a statement insisting the case was fabricated. 

“Someone has fucked Miles over at great expense,” they wrote, suggesting a false report had been sent to Saudi intelligence about his past activities in Afghanistan and the UK.

The account handlers claimed Lord Miles had no criminal record in the United Kingdom, and they had proof to clear his name. They also invited prominent YouTubers to visit him in jail, adding that he was struggling mentally without English speakers or reading material.

“We will give the location and how to meet him,” the statement said. “Only condition is that you bring him some English language books to read, as he is losing his mind.”

Coffeezilla has accused Lord Miles of secretly betting against himself on Polymarket before his disappearance. Sharing pictures on his Patreon channel, the investigator claimed Lord Miles sent funds to an account on the platform and wagered “no” on his own fast, alleged to have earned more than $60,000.

Other accusations surfaced from his representatives, who insisted that others had also placed substantial bets against him by submitting false reports that triggered his arrest. 

“These people did this in order to cash in on their ‘no’ bet,” the statement claimed, adding that they had made “high six figures.”

Lord Miles had reportedly managed to complete 34 days of fasting before being forced into hospital by police. While in custody, he is said to have apologized to his supporters for failing to complete the challenge and promised to attempt another 40-day fast in the future.

Polymarket under scrutiny during US launch month

The market manipulation news could do more harm for Polymarket, a New York-based prediction platform that just got its ticket back to the US after years of scuffling with regulators. As reported by Cryptopolitan, the company could be listed in the stock market this week.

Lord Miles’ betting market became one of the site’s most active in recent weeks, but screams of manipulation grew when the probability of him completing the challenge plunged from 68% to 18%. 

Users accused the platform of mishandling the resolution process, arguing it was biased against those who had backed him to succeed.

Some traders accused Polymarket of changing the rules after the fact, while others claimed it had become complicit in Miles’ alleged fraudulent acts.

“You allowed market manipulation, insider trading, and fraud in the Lord Miles 40-day fast challenge market. Polymarket has knowingly defrauded customers and has not done a single thing to remedy it. Polymarket has no place in the USA.” One disgruntled user wrote in reply to Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, who posted about speaking at a regulatory roundtable hosted by the SEC and CFTC. Polymarket deleted an earlier post where it had shared Lord Miles’ statement.

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