Journalist reveals he received death threats from gamblers betting on Iran war, pressuring him to alter report

An Israeli reporter revealed Monday that he received death threats from gamblers over a report on an Iranian missile that hit an area outside of Jerusalem, with many messages demanding he change his reporting due to a $14 million Polymarket bet on the war in Iran.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian reported in The Times of Israel "that the missile had hit an open area and no injuries were caused, citing the rescue services, as well as footage that emerged showing the massive explosion caused by the missile’s warhead."

Fabian explained that he received several requests to alter his reporting to reflect that the missile was "an interceptor fragment," and not a full Iranian missile.

He also started to notice similar comments on his post on X about the missile strike.

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"Checking those X accounts, both appeared to be involved in gambling on the Polymarket betting site," Fabian wrote. "As far as I now understand, the emails I received were intended to confirm whether or not a missile had hit Israel on March 10 in order to resolve a prediction on Polymarket."

According to Fabian, the event gamblers had bet on was "Iran strikes Israel on…?". The Times of Israel reporter wrote, "More than 14 million dollars had been wagered on March 10."

Fabian said that another journalist had reached out to him and told him someone he knew was requesting Fabian alter his reporting.

"The journalist had no idea why his acquaintance was demanding the change to the article until I told him what I understood was going on. He then confronted the acquaintance, who admitted to placing bets on Polymarket and confirmed my theory," Fabian wrote. "Going further, the acquaintance even offered the journalist compensation, from his winnings, if he managed to convince me to change my report."

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The bet would resolve "Yes" if Iran initiated a "drone, missile, or air strike on Israel’s soil" on the date specified, according to the Polymarket page. Fabian noted that the rules included a clause that said "Missiles or drones that are intercepted" would not count towards a "Yes."

"My minor report on a missile striking an open area was now in the middle of a betting war, with those who had bet 'No' on an Iranian strike on Israel on March 10 demanding I change my article to ensure they would win big," Fabian wrote.

Fabian explained that he started getting threatening messages and calls on WhatsApp.

"You have 90 minutes left to update the lie," a message read, according to Fabian. "If you do this — you solve in a minute the most serious problem you have caused yourself in life. And you won’t remember me anymore in a week."

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Another message that followed read, "If you decide not to correct it, and leave the lie intact, you will discover enemies who will be willing to pay anything to make your life miserable — within the framework of the law."

"And as far as I know, there are also some people who don’t really care about the law, and you’re going to make them lose about 50 times what you’ll ever make," another message on WhatsApp read, according to Fabian.

The Times of Israel reporter said another message sent to him said he would "pay the full price" for not altering his reporting. 

"Polymarket condemns the harassment and threats directed at Emanuel Fabian, or anyone else for that matter," a Polymarket spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. "This behavior violates our terms of service and has no place on our platform or anywhere else."

"Prediction markets depend on the integrity of independent reporting," the statement continued. "Attempts to pressure journalists to alter their reporting undermine that integrity and undermine the markets themselves."

Polymarket also issued a similar statement on X Monday, which added: "We've banned the accounts for all involved & will pass their info to the relevant authorities."

The Times of Israel did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

Fox Business reported earlier this month that blockchain investigators used insider information to profit off bets on the war in Iran.

As millions of dollars flooded into controversial prediction markets tied to U.S. strikes on Iran and the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blockchain investigators say a handful of suspected insiders may have used non-public information to turn the fog of war into a personal windfall.

Just before the U.S.-led strikes that rocked Iran early Saturday, Reuters and other outlets reported a surge of "suspiciously timed bets" that generated significant profits. Blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps identified six suspected insiders in a post on X, saying they collectively netted $1.2 million on Polymarket just hours before the conflict began.

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Total trade volume on the fate of Khamenei reached more than $55 million on Kalshi and more than $58 million on Polymarket.

Fox News' Kristen Altus contributed to this report.