A 28-year-old war correspondent at the Times of Israel newspaper received threatening messages after reporting that an Iranian missile struck an open area outside a Jerusalem suburb, harming no one. The threat came from disgruntled bettors on the prediction market Polymarket who had millions of dollars riding on his report. Despite the threats, Fabian stood by his story and reported the incident to the police. He hopes that the publicity will deter other journalists from being threatened over their reporting.
Polymarket users had wagered around $200,000 on whether an Iranian missile would strike Israel on March 10, with some bettors risking up to $1 million if they won. When a user pointed out a discrepancy in Fabian’s initial report and suggested that the explosion might have been shrapnel from an intercepted missile, Polymarket users began to debate who should win the bet.
The prediction market company condemned the harassment and threats directed at Fabian and banned the accounts involved. However, lawmakers have raised concerns about the harmful incentives created by prediction markets, which can put pressure on journalists to alter their reporting for financial gain.
War correspondent Emanuel Fabian faced a difficult situation after his report on an Iranian missile strike sparked a bet worth millions of dollars on Polymarket. Despite the threats and intimidation attempts, Fabian remained committed to his story and reported it to the police, hoping that it would deter others from being threatened over their reporting.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/17/israel-journalist-polymarket-iran-strike