Who Is Gabriel Perez? Trump Teleprompter Operator Accused of Making $100K Betting on President's Speeches

Gabriel Perez, President Trump’s teleprompter operator, faces allegations of profiting over $100,000 by betting on the content of Trump’s speeches using insider knowledge. Federal investigators from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are probing his activities on Kalshi’s prediction market, where bets were placed on specific speech mentions.

President Donald Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator has been accused of using advance knowledge of the president’s prepared remarks to make more than $100,000 by betting on the content of Trump’s speeches, according to sources familiar with a federal investigation.

The allegations involve Gabriel Perez, a technical assistant to the president who has operated Trump’s teleprompter since the 2016 presidential campaign. Federal investigators with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) believe Perez placed wagers on more than a dozen presidential speeches through the prediction market platform Kalshi, sources told ABC News.

Federal investigation into speech-related bets

Investigators allege Perez used insider access to Trump’s prepared speeches to place bets on Kalshi’s “Mentions” market, where users can wager on whether specific words, phrases or topics will be mentioned during public speeches.

According to sources, Perez is negotiating a potential settlement with the CFTC after allegedly earning more than $100,000 through the trades.

Kalshi reportedly alerted regulators after its internal surveillance team detected unusual betting activity.

“Our surveillance team promptly flagged and referred these trades to the CFTC, and we are cooperating and assisting regulators,” Kalshi’s head of enforcement, Bobby DeNault, said in a statement cited by ABC News.

White House places staffer on unpaid leave

Following the report, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Perez has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.

Leavitt said President Trump was informed of the allegations and personally decided to suspend Perez.

“The White House has strict ethics guidelines that we expect all staffers and officials to follow,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.

Leavitt also said she was not aware of any other White House employees involved in similar betting activity.

The CFTC declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

Multiple speeches reportedly involved

According to sources, investigators identified wagers linked to more than a dozen Trump speeches over a three-month period.

The speeches reportedly included Trump’s State of the Union address in February, a primetime address in December, remarks delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, and a Medal of Honor ceremony in March.

Investigators also examined Trump’s January speech to the Detroit Economic Club, during which the president remarked that he frequently departs from prepared remarks.

“You know, when you go up here, you take a big chance, especially me because I go off teleprompter about 80% of the time,” Trump said during that speech.

Sources told ABC News that investigators found instances where Perez allegedly modified or exited bets while speeches were underway if Trump skipped sections containing words on which wagers had been placed.

Sources told ABC News that investigators found instances where Perez allegedly modified or exited bets while speeches were underway if Trump skipped sections containing words on which wagers had been placed.

Internal warning issued to White House staff

The investigation reportedly prompted the White House to circulate an internal memo in March reminding employees not to use nonpublic government information for prediction market trading.

Perez, who has worked closely with Trump for years, is believed to have had access to nearly all of the president’s prepared remarks before they were delivered and was often responsible for incorporating last-minute edits.

He previously came under scrutiny during congressional and federal reviews into edits made before Trump’s January 6, 2021, remarks.

Settlement discussions underway

Sources familiar with the matter said Perez has acknowledged some of the trades during interviews with regulators.