Trump teleprompter operator accused of betting with speech knowledge

A teleprompter operator for President Donald Trump is accused of using advance knowledge of Trump’s remarks to place wagers on Kalshi. ABC News reported that federal investigators believe Gabriel Perez used inside information while betting on what Trump would say at public events.

Perez has operated Trump’s teleprompter since 2016, according to ABC News. Investigators believe he placed bets connected to more than a dozen Trump events, ABC News reported.

Kalshi is a prediction market platform where users can wager on outcomes across a wide range of topics. One category on the platform, known as “mentions” markets, lets users bet on whether a person will say particular things during high-profile events.

Those markets can depend on information that is not public before a speech begins. ABC News reported that investigators believe Perez’s role gave him access to that kind of information before Trump delivered remarks.

Kalshi says it identified the alleged insider activity, according to the report. The company’s markets on Trump’s speeches placed ordinary users against someone investigators believe may have had prior knowledge of the words appearing on the president’s teleprompter.

The allegations center on betting activity, not on the content of Trump’s speeches. ABC News reported that Perez is accused of betting on what Trump would say, rather than on broader political outcomes.

The case highlights a risk for prediction markets built around live events: people involved in preparing remarks, staging appearances or handling internal materials may know answers before the public can. In this instance, federal investigators believe Trump’s teleprompter operator used that advantage on Kalshi, according to ABC News.

This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.