Vindman Demands Polymarket Turn Over Records on Bets Tied to U.S. Military Actions

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) sent a letter to Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan demanding the immediate preservation and disclosure of all records tied to bets on U.S. military actions, following reports that traders have profited from wagers linked to sensitive operations.

Analysts monitoring activity on the platform have identified multiple users earning tens of thousands - and in some cases millions - by correctly predicting military actions before they occur. Vindman is calling on Polymarket to immediately turn over all records to Congress so that those who may have exploited insider knowledge of military operations for personal gain can be identified and held accountable.

In his letter, Vindman stated, "The American people deserve honest and accountable government and leadership. However, the use of sensitive or classified information to place bets on military actions endangers and undermines national security and risks the lives of our men and women in uniform. It is immoral, dishonest, vile, and traitorous. This conduct cannot be allowed to continue."

"Congress has a responsibility to investigate this matter and hold accountable those who have misused insider knowledge of military operations for personal financial gain." He continued, "As a veteran and an American, I will not stand idly by while any individual - inside or outside of government or the military - profits at the expense of servicemembers, civilians, and our national security. I will work to ensure the individuals placing bets on insider or classified information that endanger our national security are brought to justice."

Read the full letter below.

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Dear Mr. Coplan,

Recent reporting has raised serious concerns about traders utilizing Polymarket to profit, sometimes by tens of thousands, and even millions of dollars, on bets related to U.S. military actions in places like Venezuela and Iran. For example, in the hours preceding the deployment of American troops in Venezuela, a newly created Polymarket account placed a bet contingent on kinetic military action in that country, ultimately collecting over $400,000 in proceeds.

Another suspicious account issued a similar wager roughly a month later, pocketing $553,000 in the lead-up to the joint US-Israeli strike on Iran. These are not isolated incidents. Analysts tracking activity on your platform have identified numerous other users making millions of dollars by correctly betting on military actions before they occur. While the precise source of this activity remains unclear, the pattern raises the alarming possibility that government officials, military personnel, or those with access to classified information are trading on nonpublic or otherwise sensitive information.

Americans are rightly frustrated with insider trading in Washington. That is why I support the TRUST in Congress Act (H.R. 396) to ban Members from trading individual stocks. The American people deserve honest and accountable government and leadership. However, the use of sensitive or classified information to place bets on military actions endangers and undermines national security and risks the lives of our men and women in uniform. It is immoral, dishonest, vile, and traitorous.
This conduct cannot be allowed to continue. It is not only corrupt, immoral, and unethical, but it creates dangerous incentivizes for leaders to authorize military actions in order to line their own pockets. Moreover, large bets placed on these markets in the lead-up to military action can signal U.S. intentions to adversaries, compromising operational security. This endangers the lives of the troops carrying out those missions and jeopardizes critical military objectives.

As Vice Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development, which is tasked with regulating prediction markets, I request that Polymarket immediately secure, preserve, and share with Congress all information related to bets placed on national security matters. This may include, but is not limited to, all IP addresses, VPNs utilized, bank accounts, wallets, other bets made by those users, and any other associated metadata or personal data that could help identify these criminals. Congress has a responsibility to investigate this matter and hold accountable those who have misused insider knowledge of military operations for personal financial gain.

As a veteran and an American, I will not stand idly by while any individual - inside or outside of government or the military - profits at the expense of servicemembers, civilians, and our national security. I will work to ensure the individuals placing bets on insider or classified information that endanger our national security are brought to justice. I urge you and your team at Polymarket to fully cooperate with this inquiry.

Please send the information requested by no later than Tuesday, April 21, 2026.