White House teleprompter operator accused of making $100k off Trump speech bets
A White House teleprompter operator has been placed on leave after being accused of using insider knowledge to win $100,000 on Kalshi prediction markets. The platform flagged the suspicious activity to the CFTC, which is now investigating the matter.
Why it matters
The incident raises significant questions about the integrity of prediction markets and the potential for federal employees to exploit non-public information for financial gain.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, US President Donald Trump delivering the State of the Union address.
A White House teleprompter operator is being investigated over allegedly using inside information to place bets and make nearly $100,000 on US President Donald Trump's speeches.
Gabriel Perez, who had worked at the White House since 2016, is accused of placing bets on words the president would use during major public addresses, including the State of the Union speech.
The trades were made on Kalshi, a prediction markets platform where users can bet on real-world events. The firm confirmed it reported the activity to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which regulates the platform.
Kalshi froze Mr Perez's account before any profits could be withdrawn, according to reports.
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