Polymarket case expands: another suspect faces indictment
In the Polymarket case, a reserve officer with the rank of major has been summoned for a hearing prior to the filing of an indictment, on suspicion of betting on strikes in Iran and Yemen based on classified information he was exposed to during his service in the Air Force.
An Air Force officer with the rank of major has been summoned for a hearing prior to the filing of an indictment, on the claim that he placed bets on Polymarket regarding strikes in Iran and Yemen. This is an additional charge in the Polymarket betting case within the Air Force. This was reported for the first time this evening on "Channel 12". At the end of the hearing, a decision will be made on whether to prosecute him.
The prosecution has decided to file, subject to a hearing, an indictment against a reserve officer in the Air Force, who was investigated along with another reserve officer from the Air Force, against whom an indictment has already been filed in the case.
The investigation by the Shin Bet and the Military Police was opened after a suspicion arose that IDF officers, who were privy to the strikes in Yemen and Iran, acted to bet on the dates of the attacks on the betting site Polymarket. The security establishment feared that in this way, secret information could leak and endanger soldiers and pilots.
A source in the IDF said that both officers were investigated by the Shin Bet and the Military Police, and that the decisions regarding them are in the hands of the prosecution. We recall that this is an indictment subject to a hearing, after other involved parties were charged in the Polymarket case in March.
At that time, a serious security affair was cleared for publication, in which several suspects were arrested, including a civilian and reservists, on suspicion that they managed bets on the Polymarket site regarding the occurrence of military operations, based on classified information to which the reservists were exposed by virtue of their role in the army. At the end of the investigation, a civilian and a reservist were charged with a serious indictment.
According to the indictment at the time, regarding the previous involved parties, defendant 1 was part of the Air Force reserve forces and served in a position with the rank of major. By virtue of the position, he was constantly exposed to sensitive and secret information by nature, which the security of the state requires to be kept secret, regarding the offensive activity of the Air Force on the borders of Iran and Yemen and operational activity in other arenas.
The two defendants had prior acquaintance, against the background of their employment as workers in a joint company, and hence defendant 2 was aware of defendant 1's role in the reserve service.
We recall, the site "Polymarket" is an internet prediction platform that allows users to bet on the occurrence of future events, including in the fields of politics, economy, sports, and entertainment. Betting on the platform is conditional on depositing cryptocurrency.
As long as the event on which the bet is placed occurred in reality, the winnings will appear in the user's balance in their account on the platform. The platform allows any user to view the profile data of other users, including which bets they have made.
