Google Engineer Faces Insider Trading Charge After $1.2M Polymarket Bets
GOOG•Google engineer Michele Spagnuolo was charged with insider trading after using internal search data to earn $1.2 million trading on Polymarket. Google has placed the 12-year employee on leave and is cooperating with a Justice probe into his $2.7M in wagers tied to its 2025 Year in Search campaign.
1. Charges and Allegations
Michele Spagnuolo, a 12-year Google engineer trading as AlphaRaccoon on Polymarket, was indicted for insider trading after allegedly using internal search data to place bets on the top-searched person in 2025. Prosecutors assert he earned $1.2 million by wagering ahead of the public announcement of Google’s Year in Search results.
2. Betting Activity Details
Court documents state Spagnuolo risked over $2.7 million on Polymarket trades tied to Google’s 2025 Year in Search campaign. He accessed a tool available to all employees to view confidential search data, which prosecutors say directly informed his prediction market wagers and breached company policies.
3. Company Response and Next Steps
Google has placed the engineer on administrative leave while cooperating with the Justice probe. The company reiterated its commitment to safeguarding confidential information and indicated it will take appropriate disciplinary actions once the investigation concludes.
