Polymarket Paid Influencers Millions Without Disclosure
Prediction market platform Polymarket funneled more than $2.5 million to over 800 people through a personal PayPal account operated by its chief marketing officer, with many creators promoting the platform on social media without disclosing the payments, according to a new report.
Conservative Influencers Among Those Receiving Payments
Polymarket executive Matthew Modabber used his personal PayPal account to distribute the funds between January 2025 and February 2026. At least $350,000 went to conservative content creator Nick Shirley and other influencers, a POLITICO analysis found.
At least 20 of those creators promoted Polymarket on social media after they started receiving money from Modabber, according to payment records and an analysis of their online activity.
Other prominent content creators across the political spectrum also received payments. Collegiate swimmer-turned-Fox News contributor Riley Gaines, progressive commentator Brian Krassenstein, and conservative influencer Alex LoRusso were among those who received money from Modabber, according to transaction records shown to POLITICO by a source granted anonymity for fear of retribution. Gaines, Krassenstein, LoRusso, and Modabber did not respond to requests for comment.
Company Scripted Posts For Influencers
The paid influencers' posts about Polymarket often highlighted specific bets by framing betting odds as news developments. Many posts promoted the supposed accuracy of the platform's prediction markets.
One influencer paid by Polymarket, who was granted anonymity, told POLITICO the company wrote posts for them to share on X and asked them to promote specific bets.
We routinely collaborate with a diverse range of independent organizations, partners and content creators spanning the political spectrum and constantly monitor, evaluate our progress and make the necessary adjustments in order to achieve our core mission of providing the most accurate, transparent, and data-driven market insights to a global audience.
A Polymarket spokesperson provided that statement but declined to answer several questions about the company's strategy and policies for partnering with and paying influencers.
Trump Administration Takes Laissez-Faire Approach
Polymarket, led by 28-year-old CEO Shayne Coplan, has seen its trading volumes skyrocket since President Donald Trump's return to office, as prediction markets have entered the mainstream.
Trump's administration faces mounting pressure to rein in prediction market platforms over insider trading concerns. But the president has taken a mostly hands-off approach, pushing back against the platforms' critics.
Donald Trump Jr. is an investor in Polymarket and a paid adviser to its main competitor, Kalshi.
House GOP Probes China's Role In Data Center Opposition
Republicans are also probing China's alleged influence in the growing opposition to data centers across the country. House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) led a letter urging the Trump administration to investigate alleged foreign influence campaigns linked to China that they claim are fueling opposition to the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom.
Guthrie and his House GOP colleagues asked the administration to brief committee members in the next two weeks. The letter was addressed to White House adviser Michael Kratsios, former AI czar David Sacks, and FBI Director Kash Patel.
The letter cited reports from the Bitcoin Policy Institute and the right-leaning group Power The Future, pointing fingers at Chinese state media outlets and billionaire donors with foreign ties.
When asked at a White House event if he was concerned about China funding anti-data center efforts in the U.S., Trump told reporters,