Prediction Market Platform Polymarket Faces $170,000 Lawsuit Over Trump Statement Bet Dispute
Prediction market platform Polymarket is facing a $170,000 lawsuit from a user who claims he was shortchanged on a winning bet. Bettor Jesús Manuel Gonzalez Hernandez alleges that he correctly predicted President Donald Trump would say “Khamenei” during the week of March 15th, as part of Polymarket’s recurring series “What will Trump say this week?”
Hernandez bought 170,000 “yes” shares for $300, with a potential payout of $170,000. His lawsuit argues that Trump said “Khamenei” twice on Air Force One that week, citing White House transcripts and video as evidence. However, Polymarket resolved the market against the bettor, suggesting the reference might have been to Ruhollah Khomeini, a former Iranian leader who died decades earlier, or a mispronunciation.
Legal filings emphasize that the posted rules did not require exact pronunciation, and the surrounding discussion aligned with active conflicts rather than historical figures. The lawsuit names Polymarket, CEO Shayne Coplan, and CMO Matthew Modabber as defendants. The platform has not publicly commented on the dispute.