Torres Moves to Ban Officials From Prediction Markets After Suspicious $400K Maduro Bet
Rep. Ritchie Torres is advancing legislation to restrict U.S. government officials from trading in prediction markets following a controversial $400,000 windfall tied to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's political fate. The New York Democrat's bill, the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026, targets insider trading risks by prohibiting federal employees from trading contracts linked to policy outcomes they could influence.
The push comes after a Polymarket wager turned $32,000 into over $400,000 within hours of Maduro's arrest announcement. The bet, placed by an anonymous account when odds were single-digit percentages, has intensified scrutiny over material nonpublic information in speculative markets.
Torres' draft bill, shared with media outlets this week, reflects mounting concerns about the intersection of government access and financial speculation. 'When public servants profit from privileged knowledge, it corrodes trust in institutions,' Torres stated, framing the proposal as a safeguard against political insider trading.