Google Engineer Arrested for Insider Trading After Winning $1.2 Million on Prediction Market
A Google engineer who allegedly made over $1,000,000 after predicting 2025's most-searched person has now been arrested for insider trading

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Michele Spagnuolo, a Google engineer, has been arrested for insider trading after allegedly using confidential information to win $1.2 million on Polymarket by predicting the year's most-searched person. He faces multiple charges, including commodities fraud and money laundering, with potential prison sentences of 10 to 20 years.
- 01Michele Spagnuolo worked at Google since 2014, most recently as a security engineer in Zurich, Switzerland.
- 02He allegedly used insider information to place bets on Polymarket, netting $1.2 million by predicting musician D4vd as the most-searched person.
- 03Spagnuolo has been charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, facing up to 20 years in prison.
- 04The charges highlight the legal consequences of insider trading and the importance of market integrity.
- 05Spagnuolo's case may be complicated by his status as an Italian citizen working in Switzerland.
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Michele Spagnuolo, a security engineer at Google Zurich, was arrested for allegedly engaging in insider trading on the cryptocurrency prediction market Polymarket. He reportedly used confidential internal data to correctly wager on the most-searched person of the year, resulting in profits exceeding $1.2 million. The FBI's legal complaint states that Spagnuolo had access to sensitive internal tools marked as 'Google Confidential', which he allegedly exploited to gain an unfair advantage. He has been charged with multiple offenses, including commodities fraud and money laundering, which could lead to a prison sentence of 10 to 20 years. US Attorney Jay Clayton emphasized the seriousness of insider trading, stating it undermines market integrity and will be prosecuted vigorously. Spagnuolo's case is further complicated by his Italian citizenship, which may affect legal proceedings following his arrest in New York. The investigation underscores the legal ramifications of using confidential business information for personal gain.
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The case raises concerns about insider trading practices and the integrity of financial markets, affecting public trust in corporate governance.
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