OPPO F33 Pro Launching April 15 With 50MP Ultra-Wide Selfie Camera, New Design
The new OPPO F33 series is just around the corner, and the Chinese smartphone maker has shared a lot more about the upcoming phones ahead of its India launch on April 15, 2026. The headline features are the all-new ultrawide selfie camera and a more polished design. Here’s everything we know so far.
New Cameras
Like the new iPhone 17, the highlight of the OPPO F33 Pro is its 50MP ultra-wide front camera with a 100° field of view. That’s significantly wider than what most phones in this segment offer, and OPPO says it can capture up to 30% more area in group selfies. To make that useful in real-world scenarios, the phone also includes an “AI Groupfie Expert” system. It can automatically switch to a wider 0.6x view when more people enter the frame and correct facial distortion for up to six faces at once.
On the back, the F33 series uses a 50MP main sensor paired with a 2MP depth sensor. While that setup isn’t groundbreaking on paper, one of the new features is AI Portrait Glow, which adjusts lighting in real time depending on the scene. It offers multiple lighting styles, including Natural, Rim, and Studio modes, to improve portraits in tricky lighting conditions. Another interesting addition is the Colorful Front Fill Light, which replaces the usual harsh white flash with softer, adjustable tones to make selfies look more natural, especially at night. The phone also introduces creative features like Popout, which lets users create layered photos with a sense of depth directly from the camera, and Dual-View Video
Redesigned Build
Beyond cameras, OPPO is also making noticeable changes to the design. The F33 Pro introduces a new “Starry Sea” camera module with a cleaner layout and a more prominent lens design. The phone uses a one-piece back panel made from a thicker composite material, which OPPO claims improves durability without adding the fragility of glass. It’s also using a CNC carving process to create a mix of glossy and matte finishes on the same surface.
The F33 Pro will be available in three finishes: Misty Forest, Starry Blue, and Passion Red, each with a slightly different texture and visual style. The device features a 6.57-inch flat display and weighs 194 grams, keeping things relatively slim and manageable.
The new OPPO F33 series is just around the corner, and the Chinese smartphone maker has shared a lot more about the upcoming phones ahead of its India launch on April 15, 2026. The headline features are the all-new ultrawide selfie camera and a more polished design. Here’s everything we know so far.
New Cameras
Like the new iPhone 17, the highlight of the OPPO F33 Pro is its 50MP ultra-wide front camera with a 100° field of view. That’s significantly wider than what most phones in this segment offer, and OPPO says it can capture up to 30% more area in group selfies. To make that useful in real-world scenarios, the phone also includes an “AI Groupfie Expert” system. It can automatically switch to a wider 0.6x view when more people enter the frame and correct facial distortion for up to six faces at once.
On the back, the F33 series uses a 50MP main sensor paired with a 2MP depth sensor. While that setup isn’t groundbreaking on paper, one of the new features is AI Portrait Glow, which adjusts lighting in real time depending on the scene. It offers multiple lighting styles, including Natural, Rim, and Studio modes, to improve portraits in tricky lighting conditions. Another interesting addition is the Colorful Front Fill Light, which replaces the usual harsh white flash with softer, adjustable tones to make selfies look more natural, especially at night. The phone also introduces creative features like Popout, which lets users create layered photos with a sense of depth directly from the camera, and Dual-View Video
Redesigned Build
Beyond cameras, OPPO is also making noticeable changes to the design. The F33 Pro introduces a new “Starry Sea” camera module with a cleaner layout and a more prominent lens design. The phone uses a one-piece back panel made from a thicker composite material, which OPPO claims improves durability without adding the fragility of glass. It’s also using a CNC carving process to create a mix of glossy and matte finishes on the same surface.
The F33 Pro will be available in three finishes: Misty Forest, Starry Blue, and Passion Red, each with a slightly different texture and visual style. The device features a 6.57-inch flat display and weighs 194 grams, keeping things relatively slim and manageable.
The company announced the AlphaFold smartphone on Thursday—targeting business executives—which comes outfitted with the Hermes Agent. This agent can purportedly handle schedules and tasks on a user’s behalf and “connect to enterprise systems.” Agents are big in the smartphone world right now, with companies like Google and Samsung offering ways for Gemini on Android smartphones to perform tasks such as booking an Uber or ordering DoorDash. Vertu is cashing in on that trend.
But the company has a checkered past. Originally, Vertu was a Nokia subsidiary that made handcrafted luxury Nokia phones (in the UK!) in the early 2000s. Each phone came with access to a live concierge service. The company faced headwinds with the smartphone revolution and fell behind the times. Vertu then changed hands over several years, with various acquisitions, eventually shuttering its UK factory and laying off staff.
Courtesy of Vertu
In the last few years, the company has been churning out luxury Android smartphones again—it debuted a folding flip phone last year that starts at $4,300 (with a calfskin backplate, naturally). In late 2025, it unveiled the Agent Q, which it calls the “world’s first AI agent phone for entrepreneurs.”
While the company still claims a British heritage, its phones are no longer made in the UK, and according to its website, its head office is in Hong Kong. Vertu spokesperson Viki You tells WIRED that the phones are “still handcrafted,” but they’re assembled in China. “We have different factories,” You says, noting that the company sources its high-end materials from other countries, like the full-grain calfskin from Italy.
The AlphaFold has all the markings of a high-end Android smartphone. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from 2025 and is 11.8 millimeters thick when folded, 5.4 mm when unfolded. Not quite as svelte as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, but not far off from competitors like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Vertu says the hinge and screen architecture were tested to withstand 650,000 folds, which is more than Samsung’s claim of 500,000 folds.
Inside is a 6,500-mAh silicon-anode battery, an up-and-coming battery technology that’s been making waves in Chinese smartphones and has only recently made its way into Western smartphones from the likes of Motorola. There’s 65-watt fast charging, a 120-Hz screen refresh rate for the inner 8.05-inch screen, and a 6.53-inch outer screen. There’s a triple-camera system with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel telephoto.
The company announced the AlphaFold smartphone on Thursday—targeting business executives—which comes outfitted with the Hermes Agent. This agent can purportedly handle schedules and tasks on a user’s behalf and “connect to enterprise systems.” Agents are big in the smartphone world right now, with companies like Google and Samsung offering ways for Gemini on Android smartphones to perform tasks such as booking an Uber or ordering DoorDash. Vertu is cashing in on that trend.
But the company has a checkered past. Originally, Vertu was a Nokia subsidiary that made handcrafted luxury Nokia phones (in the UK!) in the early 2000s. Each phone came with access to a live concierge service. The company faced headwinds with the smartphone revolution and fell behind the times. Vertu then changed hands over several years, with various acquisitions, eventually shuttering its UK factory and laying off staff.
Courtesy of Vertu
In the last few years, the company has been churning out luxury Android smartphones again—it debuted a folding flip phone last year that starts at $4,300 (with a calfskin backplate, naturally). In late 2025, it unveiled the Agent Q, which it calls the “world’s first AI agent phone for entrepreneurs.”
While the company still claims a British heritage, its phones are no longer made in the UK, and according to its website, its head office is in Hong Kong. Vertu spokesperson Viki You tells WIRED that the phones are “still handcrafted,” but they’re assembled in China. “We have different factories,” You says, noting that the company sources its high-end materials from other countries, like the full-grain calfskin from Italy.
The AlphaFold has all the markings of a high-end Android smartphone. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from 2025 and is 11.8 millimeters thick when folded, 5.4 mm when unfolded. Not quite as svelte as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, but not far off from competitors like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Vertu says the hinge and screen architecture were tested to withstand 650,000 folds, which is more than Samsung’s claim of 500,000 folds.
Inside is a 6,500-mAh silicon-anode battery, an up-and-coming battery technology that’s been making waves in Chinese smartphones and has only recently made its way into Western smartphones from the likes of Motorola. There’s 65-watt fast charging, a 120-Hz screen refresh rate for the inner 8.05-inch screen, and a 6.53-inch outer screen. There’s a triple-camera system with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel telephoto.
#Vertu #Folding #Phone #Powered #bySurprisean #Agentphones,smartphones,android,shopping,luxury,design">Vertu Is Back With a Folding Phone Powered by—Surprise—an AI Agent
The company announced the AlphaFold smartphone on Thursday—targeting business executives—which comes outfitted with the Hermes Agent. This agent can purportedly handle schedules and tasks on a user’s behalf and “connect to enterprise systems.” Agents are big in the smartphone world right now, with companies like Google and Samsung offering ways for Gemini on Android smartphones to perform tasks such as booking an Uber or ordering DoorDash. Vertu is cashing in on that trend.
But the company has a checkered past. Originally, Vertu was a Nokia subsidiary that made handcrafted luxury Nokia phones (in the UK!) in the early 2000s. Each phone came with access to a live concierge service. The company faced headwinds with the smartphone revolution and fell behind the times. Vertu then changed hands over several years, with various acquisitions, eventually shuttering its UK factory and laying off staff.
Courtesy of Vertu
In the last few years, the company has been churning out luxury Android smartphones again—it debuted a folding flip phone last year that starts at $4,300 (with a calfskin backplate, naturally). In late 2025, it unveiled the Agent Q, which it calls the “world’s first AI agent phone for entrepreneurs.”
While the company still claims a British heritage, its phones are no longer made in the UK, and according to its website, its head office is in Hong Kong. Vertu spokesperson Viki You tells WIRED that the phones are “still handcrafted,” but they’re assembled in China. “We have different factories,” You says, noting that the company sources its high-end materials from other countries, like the full-grain calfskin from Italy.
The AlphaFold has all the markings of a high-end Android smartphone. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from 2025 and is 11.8 millimeters thick when folded, 5.4 mm when unfolded. Not quite as svelte as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, but not far off from competitors like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Vertu says the hinge and screen architecture were tested to withstand 650,000 folds, which is more than Samsung’s claim of 500,000 folds.
Inside is a 6,500-mAh silicon-anode battery, an up-and-coming battery technology that’s been making waves in Chinese smartphones and has only recently made its way into Western smartphones from the likes of Motorola. There’s 65-watt fast charging, a 120-Hz screen refresh rate for the inner 8.05-inch screen, and a 6.53-inch outer screen. There’s a triple-camera system with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 5-megapixel telephoto.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Mashable Top Stories
Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Mashable Top Stories
Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically
#NYT #Pips #hints #answers">NYT Pips hints, answers for May 28, 2026
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Mashable Top Stories
Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Not Equal: Everything in this red space must be different. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 28 Pips
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically
Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.
At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”
“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 says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a $400,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.
”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “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. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”
Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.
At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”
“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 says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a $400,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.
”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “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. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”
#Google #employee #allegedly #information #win #million #PolymarketBusiness,Google,Policy,Tech">A Google employee allegedly used inside information to win $1.2 million on Polymarket
Federal prosecutors charged a Google employee with fraud after he allegedly made $1.2 million on Polymarket bets related to Search-related trends in 2025, as reported earlier by ABC News. In their now-unsealed complaint, prosecutors allege that Michele Spagnuolo “knew the outcome of these wagers before the trading public did because he had accessed Google’s confidential, commercially valuable internal data.” Spagnuolo was arrested in New York on Wednesday but released on a $2.25 million bond, ABC News reports. He is charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Spagnuolo made bets on Polymarket under the username AlphaRacoon, with his successful search-related wagers catching the attention of outlets like Forbes and users on social media last December. In one instance, Spagnuolo correctly guessed that a singer named D4vd would “be the #1 searched person on Google” in 2025, despite the “near-zero probability” assigned by Polymarket, according to the complaint.
At the same time, Spagnuolo allegedly bet that Pope Leo XIV and Kendrick Lamar would not appear on Google’s “Year in Search 2025” lists, which are difficult to predict because of how they’re calculated. Google says it ranked last year’s terms based on which ones saw the “highest increase in traffic” — not the highest number of searches — between January 1st, 2025 and November 25th, 2025. “By measuring the spike in interest rather than the total number of searches, we can identify the trends that were unique to 2025.”
“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 says. Last month, federal prosecutors charged US Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke with fraud for allegedly making a $400,000 Polymarket bet on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement on X, Polymarket called itself “the enforcement leader,” saying its “market integrity infrastructure” flagged Spagnuolo’s activity. “Blockchain trading is transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints,” the company writes, without noting whether the people putting their money down know that.
”We’re working with law enforcement on their investigation,” Google spokesperson Jaclyn Vazquez says in a statement to The Verge. “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. We’ve placed the employee on leave and will take the appropriate action.”
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