Ex-White House teleprompter operator ordered to pay $172,000 for Trump speech bets
A former White House teleprompter operator has been ordered to pay over $172,000 for using insider information to bet on presidential speeches. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission found that the staffer exploited his position to profit from prediction markets.
Why it matters
This case highlights the growing regulatory challenges surrounding prediction markets and the ethical risks of federal employees leveraging non-public information for financial gain.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The staffer was found to have made tens of thousands of dollars through betting on what the president would say in his speeches
A former White House teleprompter operator has been ordered to pay more than $172,000 (£127,000) for using inside information to bet on US President Donald Trump's speeches.
Gabriel Perez was found to have made trades on what the president would say during addresses between December 2025 and February 2026 on Kalshi - a prediction markets platform where users can bet on real-world events.
Its regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), said Perez would have to surrender profits of $107,539.02 (£79,452) and pay a civil penalty of $65,000 (£48,000).
The White House has not yet commented. In July, then-press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Perez was on unpaid leave and would not return to his post.
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