Google’s software engineer has now been accused of insider trading. US prosecutors have charged Google software engineer Michele Spangnuolo with insider trading after he allegedly used company confidential information to make profits of more than $1.2 million on prediction market platform PolyMarket. According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, Spagnuolo did business under the alias “Alfareccone.” Between October and December 2025, he allegedly accessed Google’s internal data systems marked “Google Confidential” and placed bets on Polymarket linked to Google’s business results. Prosecutors say he risked about $2.75 million and made a profit after the information became public.

Charges filed against Google software engineer Michele Spangnuolo

Spangnuolo, who lives in Switzerland, is facing charges of commodities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was presented before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in the Southern District of New York.U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said, “Today’s charges reinforce a decades-old message: Corporate insiders cannot use confidential business information to make profits in our markets. As charged, Spagnuolo breached the duties he owed his employer and used Google’s confidential business information to earn more than $1.2 million in trading profits on PolyMarket. Insider trading compromises the integrity of our markets. does, and the American people want this greed-motivated conduct to be investigated and prosecuted.“FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. said: “Spagnuolo allegedly abused his advanced access to confidential trends to place bets with non-public information and obtain more than one million dollars in illegal profits.”

Access to Google’s confidential data

Court documents also say Spagnuolo had access to Google’s internal software tools that displayed sensitive data under the “Google Confidential” banner. Despite certifying his understanding of Google’s privacy and ethics policies, he allegedly misused this access to inform his business.