Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are well aware that they have an insider-trading problem. It’s inherent to their business model: When you make a website where anyone can bet on anything, there is going to be someone with some nonpublic information ready to place a wager and make a killing. Sometimes, those insider-trading scandals are relatively harmless, like the one-day-old Polymarket account that correctly predicted 17 out of 20 Super Bowl halftime show events, including appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
But an indictment in Israel on Thursday shows the darker side of this pattern. A joint statement from the Defense Ministry, Israeli police, and the Shin Bet domestic security announced bribery and obstruction of justice offenses against an IDF reservist and a civilian for allegedly using classified information to bet on Israeli military actions on Polymarket. The suspects made wagers based “on the basis of classified reports, which reservists were exposed to in the context of their role in the military,” according to the statement.
Israeli officials did not name the suspects or the military operations they allegedly bet on, though recent reports in Israeli media described an investigation into a Polymarket bet on the timing of the Israeli attack on Iran. (The account earned $150,000 on the wager, then went dark.) The IDF called the reservist’s action a “grave ethical failure and a clear crossing of a red line,” while insisting that “no operational harm was caused in this specific incident.”
The arrests in Israel are just the latest in a number of suspicious events on Polymarket and Kalshi, including $1.2 million that was earned by an account for a set of extremely accurate bets on Google’s most-searched people of 2025 and a $400,000 bet that nailed the exact timing of President Donald Trump’s capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. That particular bet on Venezuela created a significant scandal for Polymarket, which refused to honor the payout; in an offhand comment in January, Trump claimed that the person responsible for leaking information that led to the wager was “in jail right now.”
Responding to the recent slate of scandals, Kalshi says it has beefed up its team responsible for curtailing insider trading. But there is no specific rule against using insider information on top betting markets (though there are blanket bans on fraudulent trading). After the Super Bowl, Kalshi’s 29-year-old CEO, Tarek Mansour, said it was “fair game” when asked if it was okay if a Bad Bunny backup dancer bet on which song the artist would play first at the halftime show. Some $238 million has already been bet on Polymarket on the timing of another potential U.S. attack on Iran, and there are markets open on the timing of further Israeli strikes on Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza.
Man charged in Charlie Kirk’s killing asks judge to disqualify prosecutors
The sentencing judge or the board of pardons and parole shall consider the defendant’s selection of the victim as an aggravating factor. Violent offense committed in the presence of *** child aggravating factor. board of pardons and parole shall considered an aggravating factor in their deliberations. That the defendant committed *** violent offense in the presence of *** child. Count 3, obstruction of justice. *** second degree felony in violation of Utah code annotated 76-8. 3062 and that on September 10, 2025 in Utah County, the defendant Tyler James Robinson, with intent to hinder, delay or prevent the investigation, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or pursuant to any person regarding conduct that constitutes *** criminal offense, conceal or remove the. Firearm used to shoot Charlie Kirk and the conduct that constitutes an offense would be *** capital felony or *** first degree felony. Count 4, obstruction of justice, *** second degree felony in violation of Utah Code 76-8-3062. In that on or about September 11, 2025. In Utah County, the defendant Tyler James Robinson, with an intent to hinder, delay or prevent the investigation, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of any person regarding conduct that conduct that constitutes *** criminal offense, destroyed, concealed or removed the clothing he wore during the shooting, and the conduct that constitutes an offense would be *** capital felony. Or first degree felony. Count 5, tampering with *** witness, *** third degree felony in violation of Utah code annotated 768-508. In that honor about September 10, 2025 in Utah County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, believed that an official proceeding or investigation. Was pending or about to be instituted or intended to prevent an official proceeding or investigation, and attempted to induce or otherwise cause his roommate to withhold testimony, information, *** document or an item to wit directing his roommate to delete incriminating text messages. Count 6, tampering with *** witness, *** third degree felony in violation of Utah code annotated 76-8-508. In that honor about September 11th, 2025 in Utah County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, believed that an official proceeding or investigation was pending or about to be instituted, or intended to prevent an official proceeding or investigation, and attempted to induce or otherwise cause his roommate to withhold testimony or information to wit, directing his roommate to stay silent if the police questioned the roommate. Count seven, violent offense committed in the presence of *** child, *** Class *** misdemeanor in violation of Utah code annotated, 76-3-203.102 and 76-3-203.1438 double I. In that on or about September 10, 2025 in Utah County, the defendant, Tyler James Robinson, committed criminal homicide. In the physical presence of *** child younger than 14 years of age, with knowledge that *** child was present and that may have been seen or heard the commission of of the criminal homicide victim targeting enhancement in violation of Utah code annotated 76-3-203.14. Sub 2 Tyler James Robinson intentionally selected Charlie Kirk because of Tyler James Robinson’s belief or perception regarding Charlie Kirk’s political expression. That concludes reading the information. Mr. Robinson, this case is set. For September 29th at 10:00 a.m. it will be *** waiver hearing. Uh, and I will be the judge assigned to this case, Mr. Robinson, I invite you to join us at that time. Is there anything further, counsel? No, yeah, we’ll have counsel appointed by then. Thank you. Mr. Gander, anything further? Uh, one item, just for clarification, Your Honor, the hearing on the twenty-ninth, is that in person or Webex? Thank you. That is *** great question. It will be via WebEx. OK. Thank you, Judge. All right, I want to thank all parties for being here, and this concludes this hearing at this time, court is in recess.
The 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk is due back in court Friday as his attorneys seek to disqualify prosecutors in the case over an alleged conflict of interest.Tyler Robinson is charged with aggravated murder in Kirk’s Sept. 10 shooting on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. Prosecutors with the Utah County Attorney’s Office plan to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.An 18-year-old child of a deputy county attorney attended the campus event where Kirk was shot. The child, whose name was redacted from court filings, later texted with their father in the Utah County Attorney’s Office to describe the chaotic events around the shooting, the filings from prosecutors and defense lawyers state.Defense attorneys say that personal relationship is a conflict of interest that “raises serious concerns about past and future prosecutorial decision-making in this case,” according to court documents. They also argue that the “rush” to seek the death penalty against Robinson is evidence of “strong emotional reactions” by the prosecution and merits the disqualification of the entire team.Several thousand people attended the outdoor rally where Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA who helped mobilize young people to vote for President Donald Trump, was shot as he took questions from the audience. The child of the deputy county attorney did not see the shooting, according to an affidavit submitted by prosecutors.“While the second person in line was speaking with Charlie, I was looking around the crowd when I heard a loud sound, like a pop. Someone yelled, ‘he’s been shot,’” the child stated in the affidavit.The child later texted a family group chat to say “CHARLIE GOT SHOT.” In the aftermath of the shooting, the child did not miss classes or other activities, and reported no lasting trauma “aside from being scared at the time,” the affidavit said.Prosecutors have asked District Judge Tony Graf to deny the disqualification request.“Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case,” Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray said in a filing.Gray also said the child was “neither a material witness nor a victim in the case” and that “nearly everything” the person knows about the actual homicide is mere hearsay.The Associated Press left email and telephone messages for Robinson’s defense attorney, Kathryn Nester.Prosecutors have said text messages and DNA evidence connect Robinson to the killing. Robinson reportedly texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”At recent hearings, Robinson’s legal team has pushed to limit media access in the high-profile case. Graf has prohibited media from publishing photos, videos and live broadcasts that show Robinson’s restraints to help protect his presumption of innocence before a trial.The judge has not ruled on a suggestion by the defense to ban cameras in the courtroom.Prosecutors are expected to lay out their case against Robinson at a preliminary hearing scheduled to begin May 18.___Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
SALT LAKE CITY —
The 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk is due back in court Friday as his attorneys seek to disqualify prosecutors in the case over an alleged conflict of interest.
Tyler Robinson is charged with aggravated murder in Kirk’s Sept. 10 shooting on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. Prosecutors with the Utah County Attorney’s Office plan to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
An 18-year-old child of a deputy county attorney attended the campus event where Kirk was shot. The child, whose name was redacted from court filings, later texted with their father in the Utah County Attorney’s Office to describe the chaotic events around the shooting, the filings from prosecutors and defense lawyers state.
Defense attorneys say that personal relationship is a conflict of interest that “raises serious concerns about past and future prosecutorial decision-making in this case,” according to court documents. They also argue that the “rush” to seek the death penalty against Robinson is evidence of “strong emotional reactions” by the prosecution and merits the disqualification of the entire team.
Several thousand people attended the outdoor rally where Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA who helped mobilize young people to vote for President Donald Trump, was shot as he took questions from the audience. The child of the deputy county attorney did not see the shooting, according to an affidavit submitted by prosecutors.
“While the second person in line was speaking with Charlie, I was looking around the crowd when I heard a loud sound, like a pop. Someone yelled, ‘he’s been shot,’” the child stated in the affidavit.
The child later texted a family group chat to say “CHARLIE GOT SHOT.” In the aftermath of the shooting, the child did not miss classes or other activities, and reported no lasting trauma “aside from being scared at the time,” the affidavit said.
Prosecutors have asked District Judge Tony Graf to deny the disqualification request.
“Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case,” Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray said in a filing.
Gray also said the child was “neither a material witness nor a victim in the case” and that “nearly everything” the person knows about the actual homicide is mere hearsay.
The Associated Press left email and telephone messages for Robinson’s defense attorney, Kathryn Nester.
Prosecutors have said text messages and DNA evidence connect Robinson to the killing. Robinson reportedly texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”
At recent hearings, Robinson’s legal team has pushed to limit media access in the high-profile case. Graf has prohibited media from publishing photos, videos and live broadcasts that show Robinson’s restraints to help protect his presumption of innocence before a trial.
The judge has not ruled on a suggestion by the defense to ban cameras in the courtroom.
Prosecutors are expected to lay out their case against Robinson at a preliminary hearing scheduled to begin May 18.
METHUEN — Voters on Tuesday will choose which four Central District City Council candidates will move on to the General Election.
The race for central district councilor is the only race to require a preliminary vote this election season. Neither of the incumbent central councilors are seeking reelection. The city wide election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
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DANVERS — Former DPW Director David Lane has paid a $17,000 civil penalty after admitting that he violated the state’s conflict of interest law by accepting multiple gifts from a water meter manufacturer and its distributor.
An Alabama-based water meter maker, sourced through the manufacturer’s sole authorized New England distributor, hosted golf outings, three-day ski trips, and other events to which they invited employees of several municipal water districts and departments of public works, including Lane, according to state ethics officials.
Lane took part in three separate ski trips courtesy of the vendors. These included trips to Sugarloaf, Maine, in 2018; Okemo, Vermont, in 2020; and Jay Peak, Vermont, in 2022 — all with the understanding that when he accepted the vendor’s invitation they would pay for his lodging, all or most of his meals, and his ski lift tickets in Sugarloaf and Jay Peak.
Each of the trips were Wednesday through Friday and were at least $425 per person for lodging and $133 for a two-day ski lift ticket.
In October 2020, the distributor hosted Lane at a golf event in which they paid for his green fees, meals and drinks. In November of the same year, a sales representative of the manufacturer treated Lane and two other municipal public works employees to dinner at Pellana Prime Steakhouse in Peabody. Both of the payments are valued to be $50 or more. The conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from accepting anything worth $50 or more that is given to them for or because of their official positions.
Danvers officials issued a news release on Tuesday stating that “The town became aware of an inquiry by the Massachusetts Ethics Commission last summer and immediately engaged an independent investigator to determine whether any town policies were violated. The town has fully cooperated with the Ethics Commission’s inquiry.
“The town was unable to obtain information and documents from the vendor in question and the Ethics Commission due to confidentiality restrictions related to the Commission’s inquiry. Ultimately, Mr. Lane retired prior to the conclusion of the investigation. The town will not provide any further comments relating to personnel matters.”
Danvers’ water meters were purchased in 2009 through an Invitation For Bid (IFB) process, which means the low bidder was selected after sealed, written proposals were opened by the purchasing department. The town’s centralized purchasing function operates independently from individual departments, and all purchasing is done in accordance with MGL Chapter 30B (Uniform Procurement Act).
Earlier this year, Danvers Department of Public Works Water and Sewer Supervisor Aaron Cilluffo and other municipal water employees from Salem, Southampton, and Sudbury admitted to violating the conflict of interest law multiple times by accepting valuable gifts from the water meter manufacturer and its distributor. They each paid civil penalties ranging from $6,000 to $18,000.
“When public employees accept valuable gifts from vendors, they create the appearance that they may be improperly influenced by the vendors or are likely to unduly favor them in their actions on the job,” State Ethics Commission Executive Director David A. Wilson said. “Accepting such gifts undermines the public’s confidence in the integrity of the employees’ governmental service and is prohibited by the conflict of interest law.”
“The town of Danvers fully supports the work of the Massachusetts Ethics Commission,” Town Manager Steve Bartha said. “We understand that public trust is the currency of local government, and that situations like this erode that trust.”
Embattled New York Rep. George Santos (R) informed GOP colleagues in a closed-door meeting that he will recuse himself from serving on House committees amid ongoing scrutiny about his background and questions about his future in Congress. What do you think?
“If you’re going to lie your way to the top, at least do something when you get there.”
Brent Hubbard, Spice Expert
“I find his integrity refreshing.”
Jay Natarajan, Substitute Guard
“With his impressive resume, I’m sure he’ll bounce back in no time.”
