Key facts
- CFTC fined Gabriel Perez $172,539 for illegal trading.
- Perez, a former White House teleprompter operator, used advance knowledge of President Trump's speeches.
- Perez traded on Kalshi, a prediction market platform.
- He must forfeit $107,539.02 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty.
- Perez is banned from trading for three years.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has fined Gabriel Perez, a former White House teleprompter operator, $172,539 for illegally trading on advance knowledge of President Trump's speeches. Perez placed bets on what the president would say during addresses between December 2025 and February 2026 on Kalshi, a prediction market platform. The regulator stated that Perez had "misappropriated" his prior knowledge to place bets, breaching his duty of trust and confidence. As part of the settlement, Perez must surrender profits of $107,539.02 and pay a civil penalty of $65,000. His penalty was reduced due to his cooperation with the investigation, and he has also been banned from trading for three years. Perez is no longer employed by the federal government.