4 days ago
Former White House Teleprompter Operator Fined Over Trump Speech Bets
Gabriel Perez worked as a White House teleprompter operator for President Donald Trump.
His job gave him access to some speeches before Trump delivered them.
The CFTC said he used that private information to bet on words Trump would say.
He placed the bets on Kalshi, a prediction-market platform.
The agency said this broke his duty to keep workplace information confidential.
Perez agreed to return $107,539.02 in profits and pay a $65,000 penalty.
He is also barred from prediction-market trading for three years.
Kalshi noticed unusual betting patterns and alerted the CFTC.
Perez did not admit the regulator’s allegations as part of the settlement, according to one report.
Gabriel Perez agreed to surrender $107,539.02 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission imposed a three-year ban on his prediction-market trading.
The CFTC said Perez used advance access to Donald Trump’s speeches to bet on words and phrases Trump would say.
The trades were made on Kalshi between December 2025 and February 2026, with some wagers also involving sports and Trump-related events.
Kalshi flagged unusual activity, froze more than $90,000, and referred the matter to the CFTC.
- Who
- Gabriel Perez, the CFTC, Kalshi, and the White House.
- What
- Perez agreed to repay his profits, pay a $65,000 civil penalty, and accept a three-year prediction-market trading ban.
- Where
- The trades were made on Kalshi prediction markets using information obtained through Perez’s White House work.
- When
- The trades reportedly occurred from December 2025 through February 2026; the settlement was announced on a Friday.
- Why
- The CFTC said Perez used confidential, nonpublic speech information in breach of his duty of trust and confidence.
Regulators’ and Exchange’s Position
Settlement and Subject’s Position
Use of confidential information
Regulators’ and Exchange’s Position
The CFTC said Perez misappropriated nonpublic speech information and breached his duty of trust and confidence as a White House employee.
Settlement and Subject’s Position
Perez agreed to the settlement but, according to one report, did not admit the regulator’s allegations.
Trading consequences
Regulators’ and Exchange’s Position
The CFTC ordered full repayment of the reported profits, imposed a $65,000 civil penalty, and barred Perez from prediction-market trading for three years. Kalshi said it also subjected the trader to penalties under its rules.
Settlement and Subject’s Position
The penalty was reduced because of Perez’s reported exemplary or substantial cooperation with the investigation.
Broader prediction-market concerns
Regulators’ and Exchange’s Position
The case prompted warnings about government employees using confidential information and added to concerns that prediction markets could create opportunities for insider trading.
Settlement and Subject’s Position
The articles report no public comment from Perez or the White House on the settlement; one article said an attorney for Perez was not immediately available.
Key facts
- Profit repayment
- $107,539.02
- Civil penalty
- $65,000
- Total settlement
- $172,539.02, or more than $172,000
- Trading ban
- Three years on prediction markets
- Platform
- Kalshi
- Detection
- Kalshi identified unusual trading, froze more than $90,000, and referred the matter to the CFTC.
- Employment status
- Perez was placed on unpaid leave and was later reported to be no longer in his White House position; officials did not clarify whether he was fired or resigned.
- Penalty reduction
- The CFTC cited Perez’s exemplary cooperation when reducing the civil penalty.
Quotes
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
The federal commission that investigated and settled the insider-trading case
“In his position, Perez had access to presidential speeches prior to those speeches being delivered and Perez misappropriated that information - in breach of his duty of trust and confidence”
NDTV
CNBC TV 18
“As someone working at the White House, Perez understood the information that he learned during his work was confidential and not to be shared with anyone outside of the White House.”
livemint.com
Bobby DeNault
Lead lawyer for Kalshi
“A Kalshi surveillance investigation caught a White House staffer engaging in prohibited trading activity. Today this individual was subjected to penalties by the CFTC and by our exchange.”
wionews.com
“It doesn’t matter who you are: violate our rules or federal law, and you will face the consequences.”
wionews.com
Sources
Ex-White House Telepromoter Operator To Pay Rs 60,00,000 Over Insider Trading
Ex-White House teleprompter operator fined $65,000, banned from trading over Kalshi bets
Trump speech bets land ex-White House teleprompter operator in trouble, fined ₹1.65 crore: What CFTC found
Former White House teleprompter operator fined $172,000 for betting on Trump speech details
Trump's teleprompter operator fined $172,000 over insider trading on speeches
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