Teleprompter operator accused of making six figures betting on Trump's speeches with inside knowledge

Gabriel Perez, President Trump's longtime teleprompter operator, is under federal investigation for allegedly using inside knowledge to win more than $100,000 betting on the contents of Trump's speeches, according to multiple reports. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is looking into whether Perez committed insider trading by placing wagers on the prediction market Kalshi, sources familiar with the probe told ABC News and CNN. Perez has been placed on unpaid leave by the White House as settlement talks with regulators are underway, ABC News reported. "The man who loads President Donald Trump's words into the teleprompter has been quietly betting on which of those words the president would actually say, and winning big." The bets covered more than a dozen addresses over about three months, including the February State of the Union, a January speech in Davos, and a March Medal of Honor ceremony, according to sources cited by ABC News. Perez, who has operated the teleprompter since 2016, typically gets the final look at the president's prepared remarks before they are delivered, giving him an edge that raised red flags at the CFTC, CNN reported. "President Trump's teleprompter operator allegedly turned the commander in chief's speeches into his own personal jackpot." The investigation was triggered when trades on Kalshi were flagged for possible insider activity, CNN reported. While prediction market betting on public figures is legal, using non-public information to inform those bets may constitute fraud. The CFTC has not filed formal charges, but sources told ABC News that Perez is in settlement talks. The White House declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, but confirmed that Perez has been placed on unpaid leave. Neither Perez nor his attorney has commented publicly. The case underscores the growing scrutiny of prediction markets and the fine line between informed speculation and insider trading when government employees have privileged access to information.

7 sources•17 JulRead the Baker's Take→