Ex-White House teleprompter operator ordered to pay $172,000 for Trump speech bets

August 29, 2026

A former White House teleprompter operator, Gabriel Perez, has been ordered to pay over $172,000 in penalties for illegally profiting from insider knowledge about President Trump's speeches. Between December 2025 and February 2026, Perez placed bets on a prediction markets platform called Kalshi, wagering on specific words and phrases Trump would use during addresses that Perez had advance access to through his job. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission determined he misappropriated confidential information and violated his duty of trust, though his cooperation reduced the penalty amount.

Who is affected

Gabriel Perez (former White House teleprompter operator)
President Donald Trump
Kalshi (prediction markets platform)
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
Other Kalshi users who bet on the same markets
White House staff members (who received guidance following the incident)

What action is being taken

Gabriel Perez is surrendering profits of $107,539.02
Perez is paying a civil penalty of $65,000
Perez is serving a three-year trading ban
The CFTC is enforcing the settlement agreement

Why it matters

This case highlights the significant market-moving potential of political leaders' statements, as words from presidents can cause billions of dollars of movement in foreign exchange markets, oil futures, and stock markets. It demonstrates that insider information violations extend beyond traditional securities trading to newer prediction markets platforms. The case also establishes accountability and enforcement mechanisms for these emerging betting platforms, sending a message that misuse of confidential government information will result in serious consequences regardless of the perpetrator's position.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC