A former Google software engineer is facing federal charges for allegedly accessing confidential “Year in Search” data to place bets on a prediction market tracking singer d4vd’s murder investigation.
According to statements by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and the FBI, the suspect, identified as Michele Spagnuolo, used “confidential information from his employer” to make Google-related bets on Polymarket.
He allegedly placed bets by voting “yes” on:
- “Google’s Top 5 Most Searched People of 2025”
- “Will d4vd be the #1 searched person on Google this year”
Polymarket users gave the bet little chance of winning. However, Google’s internal metrics showed surging search volume had pushed d4vd past rapper Kendrick Lamar as 2025’s top trending person.
Prosecutors stated that Spagnuolo, who used the screen name “AlphaRaccoon” to place the bets, capitalized on insider data, leveraging wagers into a $1.2 million crypto payday.
“Once he won, Spagnuolo then took deliberate steps to conceal his unlawful use of nonpublic information by attempting to obscure the source and ownership of his unlawful proceeds,” the complaint read.
Federal authorities arrested Spagnuolo in New York Thursday. He’s facing charges that include wire fraud, commodities fraud, and money laundering.
“Today’s charges reinforce a decades-old message: corporate insiders cannot use confidential business information to turn a profit in our markets,” the complaint stated.
“As alleged, Spagnuolo violated the duties he owed to his employer and used Google’s confidential business information to make more than $1.2 million in trading profits on Polymarket. Insider trading compromises the integrity of our markets, and the American people want this greed-driven conduct investigated and prosecuted.”
In addition to criminal charges, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a separate civil lawsuit against Spagnuolo, formally charging him with insider trading.
As CriminalEnterprise reported, d4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is facing a capital murder charge for the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, along with special circumstances charges, which make eligible for the death penalty, should prosecutors push for it.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office stated that the special circumstances charges include:
- Lying in wait
- Murder for financial gain
- Killing a witness in a criminal investigation
Court documents filed last month outlined what prosecutors believe happened to Celeste, who was found dead in September, a day shy of her 15th birthday.
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D4vd: Accused child killer appears in court, DA to decide death penalty as case faces delay
On Wednesday, Spagnuolo appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of New York, according to CBS News. He was released from custody after posting a $2.25 million bond.
Burke remains behind bars without bail at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles. He’s scheduled for a preliminary evidentiary hearing on June 29.
Check back for updates.
[Featured image: Celeste Rivas Hernandez/Handout]
