Google Security Engineer Arrested in Million-Dollar Polymarket Trading Scheme
A Google security engineer, Michele Spagnuolo, has been arrested for allegedly using confidential information to make over $1 million in trades on the prediction market platform Polymarket. He faces charges including commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, stemming from trades made between October and December 2025. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about insider trading in prediction markets, prompting investigations by lawmakers and regulatory bodies.
- ▪Michele Spagnuolo was arrested in New York for allegedly making trades on Polymarket using confidential Google data.
- ▪He reportedly made $1.2 million by predicting the most-searched person of the year using insider information.
- ▪This case marks the second known arrest in the U.S. for illicit activities on prediction markets.
8 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 23 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 2 lean left, 5 centre.
- ▪ Google employee accused of making over $1.2M by insider trading on Polymarket — CBS News — Top
- ▪ Google employee charged with insider trading over Polymarket bets — Al Jazeera English
- ▪ Google engineer charged with insider trading after making $1.2M on Polymarket — TechCrunch
- ▪ US charges Google engineer with insider trading on Polymarket — Investing.com — News
- ▪ Google engineer charged with insider trading on Polymarket — Financial Times — World
- ▪ Google Engineer Charged with Insider Trading on Polymarket — Yahoo
- ▪ Google employee accused of making $1 million from insider trading on Polymarket — Engadget
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| Original publisher | WIRED — Business |
| Canonical URL | https://www.wired.com/story/google-employee-accused-of-polymarket-one-million/ |
| Publication time | Wed, 27 May 2026 22:22:23 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-27T22:28:05.891Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Kate KnibbsBusinessMay 27, 2026 6:22 PMGoogle Security Engineer Arrested in Million-Dollar Polymarket Trading SchemeAccording to federal prosecutors, Michele Spagnuolo made more than $1 million on the prediction market platform using confidential information about Google Search traffic.Photograph: Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyA Google security engineer has been charged with crimes stemming from allegedly placing trades on Polymarket using confidential internal information from the tech giant. Michele Spagnuolo, a 36-year-old Italian citizen, was arrested this morning in New York, as first reported by ABC News.Spagnuolo is charged with one count each of commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
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