By Kara Scannell, CNN

(CNN) — Federal prosecutors in New York charged a Google software engineer with making roughly $1.2 million in profits from bets on the prediction market platform Polymarket by using confidential insider information he learned about the most searched people of 2025.

Michele Spagnuolo, the Google software engineer, allegedly used an account called “AlphaRaccoon” to place multiple “yes” and “no” bets related to who would be the most searched person on Google, according to a criminal complaint.

“Unlike the counterparties to his trades, Spagnuolo knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google’s confidential, commercially valuable internal data,” authorities allege in the complaint.

Spagnuolo is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He appeared in court Wednesday and was released on a $2.2 million bond with travel restrictions.

Google said Spagunolo has been placed on leave. A lawyer for Spagunolo was not immediately identified on the court docket.

“We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation. The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies,” a Google spokesperson told CNN.

Spagnuolo is now the second person this year to face criminal charges alleging insider trading on prediction markets.

Last month the US attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York announced insider trading charges against a US special forces soldier for allegedly using his knowledge of the planned military capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro to place bets on Polymarket ahead of it. The solider allegedly made over $400,000 in profits. He has pleaded not guilty.

Authorities allege Spagnuolo used confidential internal Google data to place numerous bets about the most searched person.

In one case, Spagnuolo placed a $381.12 bet “yes” that d4vd would rank in the most searched people of the year and $5 that d4vd would be the number one searched person on Google with an implied probability of “slightly higher than 0%,” according to the complaint.

Spagnuolo also bet $613,000 “no” that Pope Leo would be the most searched person and just over $500,000 that Donald Trump would not be the most searched person. When Google announced the most searched results, authorities allege, Spagnuolo made over $1.2 million in profits.

CNN has a partnership with another prediction market, Kalshi, and uses its data to cover major events. Editorial employees are prohibited from participating in prediction markets.

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Below is a press release from the County of San Luis Obispo, Office of the Clerk-Recorder regarding early voting made available for the upcoming Primary Election.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Turnout in primary elections is typically low, and here in SLO County the June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election looks to be following this trend. Fortunately, the Elections Office is making it easier for voters to balance voting later in the cycle with convenience — while also ensuring their vote is reflected in Election Night results.

The office will be open on Saturday, May 30 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for early, in-person voting. Voters can opt to have their signature verified on the spot, allowing them to vote and cast their ballot at the counter without a return envelope. This new process streamlines the steps that confirm a voter’s eligibility and will help speed the process of counting ballots cast at the office.

In past elections, any ballot cast at the Elections Office needed to be returned in a sealed and signed return envelope. This system requires the envelopes to be scanned and every signature to be verified before the ballots could be extracted, processed, and tabulated.

“We’re excited to be able to offer this new voting option,” said Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano. “Importantly, ballots cast in person at our office will be counted on Election Night, just like the ballots cast at the polls. Voting this way means that your vote is included in those Election Night results, not added to the total in the days afterward.

This new efficiency will be particularly useful as a new law effective January 1, 2026, requires the vast majority of mail ballots to be processed and counted within 13 days of the election. In the past, the processing of mail ballots dropped off at a polling place on Election Day has created a bottleneck in the official canvass, which can be particularly challenging when more than 90 percent of local voters choose to use their mail ballot.

“Voters still have all of the same options as before, including putting a mail ballot in any official drop box, like our 24/7 box here. They can also drop it off at any polling location, or they can surrender it in exchange for a precinct ballot at their assigned location on Election Day,” said Cano.

She hopes the Saturday hours and the ability to vote early in person will inspire many voters to check voting off the to-do list before Tuesday.

“It will mean more comprehensive Election Night results and a faster path to getting all of the ballots counted and reported.”

Voters are encouraged to bring in their mail ballot if they want to vote at the Elections Office but it is not required; staff can void the mail ballot and issue them a replacement while they wait.

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SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – A Florida-based real estate agency agreed to a settlement over its predatory real estate scheme offering immediate cash payments for decades-long listing rights.

MV Realty, its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and its Chief Operating Officer (COO) operated a predatory real estate scheme that offered immediate cash payments to homeowners in exchange for the exclusive right to be the owner's listing agent if they sold their homes in the next 40 years explained the Attorney General's Office on Wednesday.

The company misled its customers regarding the terms of those agreements and recorded liens on properties, preventing sellers from transferring ownership, unless they paid MV Realty tens of thousands of dollars in what the company characterized as "early termination fees" noted the state prosecutor's office.

Those liens could also stop homeowners from refinancing or receiving home equity loans added the Attorney General's Office.

According to the settlement, all homeowner contracts with MV Realty are void, MV Realty must individually terminate all liens and the company and its CEO and COO are prohibited from engaging in any business in California that requires a real estate license for five years.

The company must also pay $1,327,069.15 in restitution to consumers and pay $1,172,930.85 in civil penalties per the agreement.

"We will not tolerate predatory conduct that targets vulnerable Californians and puts their homes at risk," stated Attorney General Rob Bonta. "This settlement delivers the relief we sought in our lawsuit, including full restitution for consumers and the complete undoing of the unlawful practices at issue. At a time when Californians are facing an affordability crisis, exploitation like this only adds pressure on households struggling to make ends meet — and it is unacceptable."

MV Realty began doing business in California in early 2022 and by December of 2023, the company was facing lawsuits filed by the Attorney General and District Attorneys in Santa Barbara and Napa counties.

"The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office was proud to team with the Attorney General's Office and the Napa County DA's Office in getting relief for Californians who were victimized by a predatory scheme that took advantage of people who were already struggling financially," Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch explained. "Californians have a right to expect that when they contract with a real estate company that the company will act in their best interests. This settlement provides an example of how California authorities will respond when a company fails in its duties to its customers by trying to take advantage of them through a predatory and unfair scheme."

MV Realty filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Florida in September of 2023, but federal courts dismissed the filing in May of 2024 noted the Attorney General's Office.

In September of 2024, California's joint prosecution secured a preliminary injunction against MV Realty which was upheld on appeal in December of 2025 and required the company to terminate its liens on properties in the state shared the Attorney General's Office.

A trial concerning MV Realty's business practices in the golden state was scheduled to begin on June 10 of this year and the settlement announced Wednesday resolved the lawsuits filed by the statewide and county-based prosecutor's offices, bringing relief to alm