Trump Teleprompter Operator Suspected of Using Insider Information for Gambling Profits

Gabriel Perez, the longtime teleprompter operator for former U.S. President Donald Trump, is suspected of exploiting his early access to Trump's speeches to place bets on their content, reportedly earning over $100,000. The allegations, reported by ABC News on July 16, 2026, indicate that Perez used nonpublic information to gamble on the Kalshi prediction market platform. Kalshi itself flagged the suspicious activity and reported it to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which is now negotiating a settlement with Perez.

Perez has served as a technical assistant to Trump since the 2016 campaign and was among the last to review speeches before they were delivered and displayed on the teleprompter. Investigators believe Perez placed bets on more than a dozen speeches over three months, including the February State of the Union address, where he reportedly had to withdraw some bets mid-speech after Trump deviated from the prepared text. Trump has previously acknowledged that he often ignores about 80% of the teleprompter content.

Kalshi's legal counsel, Bobby DeNault, stated that the company quickly identified the irregular trades and cooperated fully with regulators. Following the incident, Kalshi updated its policies to require users to disclose their employment and prohibit trading based on work-related information. The White House emphasized strict ethics rules for staff and confirmed Perez's full cooperation with the investigation. An internal memo was circulated warning staff against using nonpublic information for gambling. Despite Perez admitting to some of the trades, federal prosecutors in Manhattan have decided not to pursue criminal charges at this time.