Trump Suspends Teleprompter Operator Amid Kalshi Insider Trading Investigation

President Donald Trump has suspended a longtime teleprompter operator after reports revealed the staffer allegedly profited from trading prediction markets tied to the President's speeches on Kalshi.

According to multiple U.S. media outlets, including ABC News, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is investigating whether the employee used privileged access to Trump's prepared remarks to place profitable trades on markets predicting what the President would say during public addresses.

White House Places Staffer on Administrative Leave

The employee, identified as Gabriel Perez, has reportedly operated Trump's teleprompter since 2016 and allegedly earned around $100,000 trading on more than a dozen speech-related markets over a three-month period, including the President's State of the Union address.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Perez has been placed on paid administrative leave while cooperating with the federal investigation.

According to the reports, investigators found that Perez not only had advance access to prepared speeches but also adjusted his trading positions during live addresses when Trump deviated from scripted remarks. Federal prosecutors have reportedly declined to pursue criminal charges, though Perez is said to be in settlement discussions with the CFTC.

Kalshi Says It Reported the Suspicious Trading

Kalshi said its internal surveillance systems detected unusual trading activity earlier this year and referred the matter to federal regulators after conducting its own investigation.

The company stated that it froze the user's account, restricted access to more than $90,000 linked to the trades, interviewed Perez, and provided evidence to the CFTC.

Kalshi added that its enforcement systems monitor speech and "mention markets" in the same manner as any other event contract and emphasized that it prohibits trading based on non-public information obtained through a user's employment.

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Insider Trading Concerns Continue to Shadow Prediction Markets

The investigation adds to growing scrutiny over insider trading risks in prediction markets, particularly those tied to politics and public events.

In recent months, regulators have examined several high-profile cases involving allegations that individuals used confidential information to trade on event contracts before the information became public. The issue has prompted increased oversight from lawmakers and regulators, with both Congress and the CFTC taking steps to strengthen policies around insider trading.

The controversy also arrives as prediction markets remain at the center of broader legal battles across the United States, with federal regulators defending the industry's legality while several states argue that many event contracts function as unlicensed gambling products.

Stay tuned to UMG Gaming for more updates on prediction markets, trading platforms and the latest developments shaping the future of event based trading.