Published on: April 24, 2026, 11:17h.
Updated on: April 24, 2026, 11:17h.
- Investigations underway by French authorities into potential tampering at a Paris weather station
- On the evening of April 15, temperatures surged at Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Two traders allegedly gained over $35,000 from the temperature anomaly
Once again, insider trading has made headlines, and this instance may be one of the most remarkable.
Météo-France, France’s national meteorological service, is currently investigating whether one of its weather stations has been manipulated to aid traders on Polymarket.
On April 15, a trader on Polymarket’s international platform reportedly made over $21,000 from wagers of under $120 that the day’s maximum temperature would reach 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
These trades were executed in the evening, well after the day’s high of 18 degrees (64.4 degrees Fahrenheit) had been recorded. As temperatures dropped later in the evening, the reading at the Charles de Gaulle Airport weather station unexpectedly rose to 22 degrees.
This spike in temperature was noted at 9:30 PM local time, whereas just an hour prior, the measurement was registered at 16 degrees.
Was Temperature Data Altered?
The sudden temperature increase recorded at the Paris airport on April 15 was fleeting. The 22-degree reading soon fell back to 16 degrees roughly 30 minutes later.
This anomaly raised questions for Météo-France.
The account “xX25Xx” on Polymarket was behind the unexpected, low-risk trades betting against a high of 18 degrees. Other traders had believed there was a 99% probability that the day wouldn’t surpass that temperature.
The xX25Xx account saw profits exceeding $21,000 from the unusual temperature spike. This trader was not alone; another account named “Hoaqin” also engaged in similar trades before the temperature surge and earned almost $14,000.
Following an investigation of its weather station at Charles de Gaulle, Météo-France has lodged a complaint with local authorities regarding possible tampering of automated systems. They suspect someone accessed the weather station to use a cordless hairdryer or similar heating device on the sensors.
Polymarket Remains Silent
Polymarket, based in New York, operates in around 180 nations globally. In the United States, it runs a separate platform subject to regulations set by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The questionable trading actions associated with the Paris weather station occurred on Polymarket’s non-US platform. A representative for Polymarket declined to comment regarding the scandal involving the Charles de Gaulle Airport weather station.
France is one of several European countries that have prohibited Polymarket. While the platform is geo-blocked, tech-savvy users often utilize virtual private networks to bypass these restrictions.
Outside the United States, Polymarket’s international platform operates from Panama in collaboration with Adventure One QSS, Inc., a firm claiming to pioneer innovative uses of blockchain technology. Polymarket primarily functions as a cryptocurrency-based prediction market exchange.