Home / Crime and Justice / Google Engineer Accused of $1.2M Insider Trading on Search Data
Google Engineer Accused of $1.2M Insider Trading on Search Data
28 May
Summary
- Engineer allegedly used confidential Google search data for prediction market bets.
- He is accused of making $1.2 million from these allegedly illegal wagers.
- Charges include commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
A Google software engineer, Michele Spagnuolo, is facing serious charges for allegedly misusing confidential search data to place bets on a prediction market. The criminal complaint unsealed in New York alleges Spagnuolo profited around $1.2 million from wagers made between October and December 2025.
These bets were reportedly tied to Google's most-searched individuals for 2025, with Spagnuolo allegedly knowing the outcomes before the general public. He is accused of betting against Donald Trump, Pope Leo XIV, and Bianca Censori being the most searched, while also wagering on D4vd's search ranking.
Spagnuolo has been charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, carrying potential sentences of up to 20 years. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has also filed its own complaint against him for insider trading.
A Google spokesperson stated that the company is cooperating with law enforcement and has placed the employee on leave, emphasizing that using confidential information for betting is a severe policy breach. Polymarket, the prediction platform used, is cooperating with authorities and highlighted its role in enabling these insider trading charges.
Recent incidents, including a soldier accused of similar activity, have increased scrutiny on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi due to insider-trading risks. Lawmakers are considering legislation to ban certain types of bets on these platforms, though some, including President Donald Trump, advocate for maintaining the CFTC's authority over them.
