White House teleprompter operator made more than $100,000 on Kalshi bets on Trump speeches
Government Teleprompter Operator Accumulates Substantial Gains Through Kalshi Prediction Market Wagers
Unusual Trading Patterns Prompt Federal Investigation
White House teleprompter operator made more - A federal employee serving as a teleprompter operator within the White House has generated over one hundred thousand dollars in profits by placing strategic bets on Kalshi, a prominent prediction market platform. According to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation, these financial gains were specifically tied to President Trump's public addresses and speeches.
The individual at the center of this developing story has been identified as Gabriel Perez, a dedicated federal worker whose role involves managing the teleprompter systems used during presidential communications. Kalshi representatives confirmed that their automated surveillance mechanisms identified trading activity that deviated significantly from standard market behavior patterns.
Mention Markets and Strategic Betting
Perez's investment strategy focused on what are known as mention markets, a specialized category of prediction markets that enables participants to wager on whether specific words or phrases will be uttered during public events. This type of betting market has gained considerable popularity among traders who seek to capitalize on predictable speech patterns and recurring themes in political discourse.
Our surveillance team promptly flagged and referred these trades to the CFTC after an exchange investigation, Robert DeNault, head of enforcement at Kalshi, explained in correspondence with CBS News. We have been assisting regulators on this matter and provided evidence we collected, as we do in any referral.
The platform's monitoring systems detected that Perez's trades were occurring with unusual timing and frequency, suggesting that the trader possessed information beyond what was publicly available to typical market participants. Following this detection, Kalshi took immediate action to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
Regulatory Response and Account Freeze
Kalshi promptly froze Perez's trading account, effectively securing more than ninety thousand dollars in accumulated profits that had been generated through the platform. This freeze prevented any further transactions while the company conducted a thorough examination of the trading history and patterns.
Once the internal review was completed, Kalshi forwarded the entire case to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal regulatory body responsible for overseeing prediction markets and ensuring fair trading practices across these platforms. The commission has maintained a position of neutrality regarding the ongoing proceedings.
A CFTC spokesperson communicated to CBS News that the agency cannot confirm or deny the existence of an active investigation at this time.
Cooperation and Administrative Leave
According to sources familiar with the situation, Perez has demonstrated full cooperation throughout the entire investigative process. The federal employee is currently engaged in discussions with CFTC regulators regarding a potential settlement that could resolve the matter without formal charges.
The White House Management Office issued guidance to all White House staff members on March 24, instructing them to refrain from placing bets on prediction markets when utilizing nonpublic information. This directive was communicated through an official letter distributed to White House aides, as confirmed by multiple administration officials who spoke with CBS News in April.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the president believes the situation is deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace. She noted that the individual cited in the report is complying with the CFTC but has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.
Professional Background and Current Standing
Public records maintained by LegiStorm, a comprehensive database containing biographical details about government employees, reveal that Perez has maintained a long-standing relationship with the Trump administration. His service spans both the president's first and second terms, during which he has held positions as both a technical adviser and teleprompter operator.
Records indicate that in January 2025, Perez began serving in the capacity of technical adviser for the White House Office, demonstrating his continued relevance and trust within the administration despite the ongoing investigation.
ABC News originally broke the story regarding the investigation into Perez's trading activities, bringing initial public attention to the matter before other major news organizations followed with their own coverage.
The White House has not yet issued an official statement responding to media inquiries regarding the situation. Perez himself has not provided an immediate public response to CBS News' request for comment regarding his trading activities and the subsequent investigation.