- Gabriel Perez has been ordered to pay more than $172,000 for using inside information to bet on US President Donald Trump's speeches.
- Between December 2025 and February 2026, Perez placed 49 trades on Kalshi, winning 39 and earning over $107,000.
- The CFTC announced a settlement on Friday, fining Perez $65,000 and requiring him to surrender $107,539.02 in profits.
- Kalshi analysts noticed unusual betting on 'mention markets' in March and reported it to the CFTC.
- The White House Management Office sent a letter to aides in July telling them not to place bets on prediction markets.
- Perez has also received a three-year ban from trading on Kalshi.
- The CFTC stated that Perez was using misappropriated material and nonpublic information to make money on mention markets for his own personal, financial benefit.
- This case is the first known instance of a federal employee allegedly involved in an insider trading scheme on prediction markets.
- The CFTC noted that Perez received a substantial discount on the fine due to his exemplary cooperation with the investigation.
Gabriel Perez, who served as a teleprompter operator for President Trump, has been penalized by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for insider trading on prediction markets. He is required to pay a total of $172,000, which includes a civil penalty of $65,000 and the surrender of $107,539.02 in profits.137
The CFTC found that Perez engaged in 49 trades, winning 39 of them, by using nonpublic information about Trump's speeches, including events like the State of the Union address and various rallies. This case marks the first known instance of a White House aide involved in an insider trading scheme on prediction markets, which have gained popularity recently.28
Despite breaching his duty of trust to the government, Perez received a substantial discount on his fine due to his exemplary cooperation with the investigation. Kalshi, the prediction market platform, reported Perez's activities to the CFTC after noticing unusual betting patterns. The company has since imposed a three-year ban on Perez from trading.469
Kalshi's lead lawyer, Bobby DeNault, emphasized that the ruling demonstrates that violating rules or federal law will lead to consequences, regardless of one's position. The White House had previously warned aides against betting on prediction markets, highlighting the potential impact of political leaders' words on financial markets.
“Perez placed 49 trades on Kalshi between December 2025 and February 2026, winning 39 and earning over $107,000. The CFTC reduced his fine due to 'exemplary cooperation,' and Kalshi also imposed a three-year ban on him.”
BBC
