Google employee accused of using insider information to bet on Polymarket, profiting $1.2 million
A Google software engineer, Michele Spagnuolo, is accused of using confidential company information to place bets on the prediction market Polymarket. Prosecutors allege he made $1.2 million by betting on search trends, specifically that singer d4vd would be the top-searched person in 2025. Spagnuolo has been charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, and Google has placed him on leave for violating company policy. AI
IMPACT This incident highlights the ongoing risks of insider trading on prediction markets, even within large tech companies, and the challenges in preventing misuse of privileged information.