---
title: "Polymarket CMO Sent Millions via Personal PayPal to Pay Social Media Influencers"
description: "Transaction records reveal over $2.5 million sent from Matthew Modabber's personal account to more than 800 people as creators posted about the prediction market without disclosures."
url: https://basisdesk.news/news/polymarket-cmo-paypal-influencer-payments
published: 2026-10-23T22:11:35.768Z
modified: 2026-10-23T22:11:35.768Z
section: Regulation & Policy
author: Basis Desk Newsroom (AI-generated, source-verified)
sentiment: bearish
tickers: []
tags: [polymarket, matthew-modabber, influencers, ftc, prediction-markets]
license: Quote with attribution to Basis Desk (basisdesk.news). Not financial advice.
---

# Polymarket CMO Sent Millions via Personal PayPal to Pay Social Media Influencers

Transaction records reveal over $2.5 million sent from Matthew Modabber's personal account to more than 800 people as creators posted about the prediction market without disclosures.

## At a glance

- **What happened:** Polymarket CMO Matthew Modabber sent over $2.5 million from a personal PayPal account to over 800 recipients between January 2025 and February 2026.
- **Why it matters:** At least 20 content creators published nearly 500 promotional posts for Polymarket without required sponsorship disclosures under FTC guidelines.
- **Who is affected:** Polymarket, social media influencers, prediction market competitors, and online betting audiences.
- **What's next:** No next step announced.
- **Primary source:** [‘Unbelievable how accurate’: How paid influencers hype Polymarket’s odds](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/polymarket-paying-social-media-biggest-090000448.html) — yahoo.com

## Key points

- Polymarket CMO Matthew Modabber transferred over $2.5M to 800+ people via personal PayPal between January 2025 and February 2026 [1].
- At least 20 paid influencers posted 490+ times promoting Polymarket on X without disclosing financial relationships [1].
- Polymarket defended creator collaborations as standard practices but did not address the use of personal PayPal accounts [1].

## Editorial remark

- **Context:** Polymarket was banned from operating in the US without a license in 2022, but saw volume surges surrounding election betting [1]. In 2025, federal authorities dropped two probes into the platform, clearing a path for regulated US re-entry [1].
- **Impact:** Social media influencers, prediction market users, and platforms face growing regulatory attention concerning FTC sponsorship disclosure rules and corporate financial compliance [1].
- **Watch:** Federal regulatory responses from the FTC regarding online prediction market promotions and whether the IRS reviews the personal account transactions [1].

Matthew Modabber, the chief marketing officer of prediction market Polymarket, distributed over $2.5 million from a personal PayPal account to more than 800 recipients between January 2025 and February 2026, according to payment records reviewed by POLITICO [1].

An analysis of the transactions revealed that at least $350,000 went to social media content creators, including conservative influencer Alex LoRusso, progressive commentator Brian Krassenstein, and Fox News contributor Riley Gaines [1]. Independent verification identified roughly two dozen creators who received funds from Modabber [1]. At least 20 of these creators subsequently promoted Polymarket on social media, generating at least 490 posts on X without disclosing any paid partnership during the 14-month timeframe [1].

## Undisclosed Campaigns and Regulatory Scrutiny

Federal Trade Commission guidelines mandate that social media creators disclose any material connection when endorsing products [1]. None of the analyzed posts from the 14-month window included sponsorship disclosures, even though X's commercial policies require designations like "ad" or "sponsored" [1]. Recipients included Nick Shirley, who received $3,100 from Modabber before featuring Polymarket branding in viral videos, and Shane Ginsberg of Street Poller, who received at least $77,000 while deploying street interviews to promote the platform [1].

A Polymarket spokesperson defended the influencer engagements as standard business practices, stating the firm routinely collaborates with independent creators across the political spectrum [1]. The company declined to address why Modabber conducted corporate marketing payments through a personal PayPal registered to an unaffiliated salad business, or whether the outlays were reported to the IRS as business expenses [1]. The revelations emerge as the platform seeks re-entry into the US market under the administration of President Donald Trump, who dropped two federal investigations into Polymarket in the summer of 2025 [1].

## Sources

1. [‘Unbelievable how accurate’: How paid influencers hype Polymarket’s odds](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/polymarket-paying-social-media-biggest-090000448.html) — yahoo.com, 2026-10-23

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Basis Desk Newsroom · AI-generated, source-verified · https://basisdesk.news/about/how-we-use-ai