Trump teleprompter operator placed on unpaid leave over $100K betting scandal

Gabriel Perez, who has operated President Donald Trump’s teleprompter since 2016, was placed on unpaid administrative leave after allegations that he used advance knowledge of the president’s speeches to place bets on the prediction market platform Kalshi. Investigators say Perez won more than $100,000 by betting on whether specific words and phrases would appear in speeches such as the State of the Union.

Kalshi’s internal surveillance flagged the activity and referred the case to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which has jurisdiction over such markets. The White House confirmed the leave and described the conduct as “deeply unfortunate” and a “disgrace.” Regulators continue to examine whether non‑public information was improperly used for personal profit.