Former White House teleprompter operator fined over insider trading
Donald Trump, pictured here delivering the State of the Union address in February, is yet to comment. (Reuters: Kenny Holston/Pool)
In short:
A former White House teleprompter operator has been ordered to pay more than $US172,000 ($240,000) for using advance access to US President Donald Trump's speeches to make illegal trades on a prediction-market platform.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission says Gabriel Perez traded presidential "mention market" contracts on Kalshi between December 2025 and February 2026 while working at the White House.
What's next?
Mr Perez was put on unpaid leave and is no longer working for the federal government.
A former White House teleprompter operator accused of using inside knowledge to make bets on the prediction market Kalshi has been ordered to turn over more than $US100,000 in profits and pay a $US65,000 fine as part of a settlement with federal authorities.
The settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, announced Friday local time, also dealt Gabriel Perez a three-year trading ban.
Mr Perez was placed on unpaid leave from his job at the White House after reports emerged that he used his position to make bets on what US President Donald Trump would say in speeches.
The White House did not immediately comment on the settlement.
A White House official said in July that Mr Perez was no longer in his position but did not say if he had been fired or resigned.
The commission found that Mr Perez made $US107,500 ($150,080) on prediction markets by betting on words and phrases that would appear in Mr Trump's speeches between December 2025 and February 2026.
"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," according to a release from the commission.
Mr Perez was ordered to repay his profits in full, along with the $US65,000 ($90,746) civil penalty, which the commission said was a reduction because of his "exemplary cooperation".
As details emerged on July 16, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was "unfortunate" and "a disgrace".
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