US charges Google engineer with using internal search data to pocket $1.2 million on Polymarket
The Block
A Google engineer faces fraud and money laundering charges for allegedly using confidential search data to profit $1.2 million on Polymarket betting contracts.Summary
Google software engineer Michele Spagnuolo has been charged by U.S. prosecutors and the CFTC with fraud and insider trading. Authorities allege that Spagnuolo exploited his access to internal Google search data to place profitable bets on Polymarket regarding the company's 2025 year-end search rankings. The engineer allegedly earned $1.2 million through these trades and now faces significant potential prison time and civil penalties. Google has placed the employee on leave and is cooperating with law enforcement, while Polymarket noted that its integrity monitoring systems were instrumental in identifying the suspicious activity.
(Source：The Block)