Polymarket User Who Won $400K on Maduro Ouster Bet Quietly Disappears
- Polymarket account linked to a $400K Maduro bet is now inaccessible
- The wager was placed shortly before news of Maduro’s capture broke
- Funds were quickly withdrawn after the bet settled
- Incident renews insider trading concerns around prediction markets
A Polymarket account that profited roughly $400,000 from a highly controversial bet on the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has quietly disappeared from the platform, raising fresh concerns about insider activity on crypto-based prediction markets.
The account, identified as “0x31a56e,” placed approximately $32,000 on Maduro’s ouster shortly before reports emerged that US military and law enforcement had captured the Venezuelan leader. As of Thursday afternoon UTC, the account’s Polymarket profile returned an error message and was no longer accessible, while other user pages on the platform remained live.
The sudden disappearance has fueled speculation within the crypto community, particularly given the precise timing of the wager and the scale of the profits involved.
Funds Withdrawn Shortly After Win
Archived data shows the account placed multiple related bets surrounding escalating US involvement in Venezuela. These included wagers on US forces entering the country, a US “invasion” by the end of January, and whether President Donald Trump would invoke War Powers against Venezuela.
Blockchain data indicates that on Jan. 3, the account’s associated Polygon address received approximately $436,700 in USDC from Polymarket’s CTF Exchange. Less than 11 hours later, roughly $437,800 in USDC was transferred out of the wallet, effectively emptying the account shortly after the bet settled.
The rapid withdrawal has added to suspicions that the user may have acted on privileged or non-public information.
Prediction Markets Face Growing Scrutiny
Polymarket has not issued a public statement explaining whether the account was deactivated by the platform, removed by the user, or affected by a technical issue. The company also did not immediately respond to media inquiries regarding the account’s disappearance.
While Polymarket’s privacy policy allows users to request deletion of personal data, the lack of transparency surrounding high-profile accounts has reignited broader debates about insider trading and regulatory oversight in prediction markets.
These concerns are extending beyond crypto-native circles. Some US lawmakers, including Representative Ritchie Torres, have voiced support for legislation aimed at limiting insider trading and improving transparency on prediction platforms.
The scrutiny intensified further after reports emerged of another Polymarket trader with a near-perfect win rate placing a large wager on potential US military action against Iran, adding to growing skepticism about whether some participants possess advance knowledge of geopolitical events.
