Feds: Google Employee Won $1.2M With Insider Bets

A Google software engineer is accused of turning the company's closely held search data into a seven-figure winning streak on Polymarket. Federal prosecutors in New York say 36-year-old Michele Spagnuolo used internal Google information to place prediction market bets on which names and topics would dominate the company's "Year in Search 2025" rankings, allegedly reaping about $1.2 million, ABC News reports. Trading as "AlphaRaccoon," he allegedly wagered that singer D4vd would end up as Google's most-searched person in 2025—at a time when Polymarket users saw that outcome as highly unlikely.

"Unlike the counterparties to his trades, Spagnuolo knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google's confidential, commercially valuable internal data," a federal criminal complaint states. Spagnuolo, an Italian citizen, is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Arrested Wednesday in New York, he appeared in court, did not enter a plea, and was released on a $2.25 million bond.

• "We're working with law enforcement on their investigation," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies. We've placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action."