White House teleprompter operator accused of making $100k from Trump speech bets

July 16, 2026

A White House teleprompter operator named Gabriel Perez is under investigation for allegedly using insider knowledge to profit from betting on President Trump's speeches. Perez, who had been employed at the White House since 2016, reportedly made nearly $100,000 by placing bets on specific words Trump would say during major addresses, including the State of the Union, using the prediction market platform Kalshi. The betting platform's analysts detected the unusual activity in March, froze Perez's account containing over $90,000, and reported the matter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Who is affected

Gabriel Perez (White House teleprompter operator accused of placing the bets)
President Donald Trump (his speeches were the subject of the betting)
Kalshi (the prediction markets platform where the bets were placed)
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission/CFTC (the regulatory body receiving the report)
Federal employees and White House staff (regarding workplace integrity standards)

What action is being taken

Kalshi is keeping Perez's account frozen with over $90,000 that cannot be withdrawn
The CFTC is investigating the matter (Kalshi reported the activity to them and provided evidence)
Perez is on unpaid leave from the White House
Perez is cooperating with the CFTC investigation

Why it matters

This case highlights potential vulnerabilities in prediction markets where individuals with insider access can exploit privileged information for financial gain. The words used by political leaders like presidents can trigger significant movements in foreign exchange markets, oil futures, and stock markets worth billions of dollars, making such insider betting particularly consequential. The incident raises concerns about White House security protocols and the integrity of prediction markets, which rely on fair information access among participants.

What's next

Perez will no longer work at the White House (confirmed by White House press secretary)
No explicit next steps stated in the article regarding the CFTC investigation outcome or final disposition of the frozen funds

Read full article from source: BBC