Trump teleprompter operator bet on his speeches — reported winnings top $100,000
TL;DR
Trump teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez allegedly won $100K+ betting on speeches; Kalshi referred him to the CFTC.
The White House suspended a staffer in a rare case involving bets on the president's prepared remarks. ABC News reported on July 16 that longtime Trump teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez used Kalshi's Mentions markets to wager on specified words appearing in speeches, winning more than $100,000.
Sources said Perez traded on more than 12 speeches over roughly three months, including the February State of the Union, Trump's January Davos address and a March Medal of Honor ceremony. Perez typically had final access to prepared remarks and received late edits from Trump. ABC also reported that he exited some positions during speeches when Trump skipped target language.
Kalshi said its surveillance system detected unusual activity, completed an exchange investigation and referred the evidence to the CFTC. The platform froze the account with more than $90,000 in profits still inside. The figures measure different things: $100,000 is reported total winnings; $90,000 is the frozen portion. The trades' ROI and full ledger are not public.
The White House first placed Perez on unpaid leave and later said he no longer worked there. The CFTC declined to confirm or deny an investigation, and Perez has not been criminally charged. ABC said Manhattan federal prosecutors declined a case. The DOJ separately charged a Google employee in another prediction-market insider case this year; neither case has produced a conviction.
via ABC News / Reuters / CBS News
Sources said Perez traded on more than 12 speeches over roughly three months, including the February State of the Union, Trump's January Davos address and a March Medal of Honor ceremony. Perez typically had final access to prepared remarks and received late edits from Trump. ABC also reported that he exited some positions during speeches when Trump skipped target language.
Kalshi said its surveillance system detected unusual activity, completed an exchange investigation and referred the evidence to the CFTC. The platform froze the account with more than $90,000 in profits still inside. The figures measure different things: $100,000 is reported total winnings; $90,000 is the frozen portion. The trades' ROI and full ledger are not public.
The White House first placed Perez on unpaid leave and later said he no longer worked there. The CFTC declined to confirm or deny an investigation, and Perez has not been criminally charged. ABC said Manhattan federal prosecutors declined a case. The DOJ separately charged a Google employee in another prediction-market insider case this year; neither case has produced a conviction.
via ABC News / Reuters / CBS News
