An Israeli Air Force major has been arrested and charged with breach of trust for allegedly using classified military information to place bets on Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market. The officer is suspected of using insider knowledge of planned strikes on Iran and Yemen to profit on the platform. This incident is part of a broader investigation that has already led to the indictment of an IAF reservist major and a civilian accomplice, who were charged with severe security offenses, including bribery and obstruction of justice, for allegedly leveraging classified details about Israeli military actions to place bets on Polymarket.
Background
The profits from the earlier case were reportedly substantial, with the reservist major earning between $162,000 and $244,000 from wagers placed on the platform. Multiple IAF reservists have been arrested in connection with the wider investigation, with some facing active legal proceedings.
Investigation
The investigation has already revealed that what initially looked like one rogue officer may be something broader, with the defendant claiming that gambling activity is far more widespread within the IAF than the public cases indicate. Israeli authorities are pursuing criminal charges under existing military secrecy statutes, treating prediction market bets the same way they would treat selling secrets to a foreign power.