Full Breakdown
Former White House Teleprompter Operator Settles Insider-Trading Case
8/29/2026, 9:19:00 PM
Core Event – Settlement and Trading Ban
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a settlement on Friday that requires former White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez to surrender all profits from his trades on the prediction-market platform Kalshi and to pay a civil monetary penalty. Under the agreement, Perez is also barred from any trading activity for three years. The commission said the settlement reflects Perez’s “exemplary cooperation” with investigators.
Background – Access That Fueled the Bets
Perez served for several years as the deputy assistant to the president and technical adviser responsible for loading President Donald Trump’s speeches into the teleprompter. In that capacity, he was often the last person to view the final text before delivery, giving him non-public knowledge of the exact wording and timing of remarks. Federal regulators determined that he used this privileged information to place wagers on whether specific words or phrases would appear in Trump’s speeches, a practice prohibited by Kalshi’s rules.
Official Statements & Responses
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the episode as “unfortunate” and “a disgrace,” noting that President Trump had placed Perez on unpaid leave after the allegations surfaced. A White House official confirmed that Perez was no longer in his former role but did not specify whether he resigned or was terminated. The administration has not provided further comment on the settlement.
Data & Statistics – Conflicting Figures
- The CFTC’s release cited $107,500 in illicit profits and a $65,000 civil penalty.
- The Daily Beast reported the profit figure as $107,539.02 while retaining the same $65,000 penalty.
Both sources agree that the total monetary obligation exceeds $172,000 when profit repayment and the penalty are combined.
What’s Next – Ongoing Restrictions
Perez must repay the full profit amount and the penalty, and he is prohibited from engaging in any commodity-futures or prediction-market trading for three years. The CFTC’s order also includes a cease-and-desist directive covering future violations of the Commodity Exchange Act. No additional enforcement actions have been announced.
