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'Unbelievable how accurate': How paid influencers hype Polymarket's odds
When far-right influencer Nick Shirley posted a viral video in January alleging fraud at Minnesota daycares, he showed his 1.6 million followers on X something else too: a gray hoodie emblazoned with the Polymarket logo.
Polymarket had made other appearances in the 24-year-old’s content, like in a series of man-on-the-street interviews about the “current state of America” posted in December.
The first post came after Shirley started to receive money from Polymarket’s chief marketing officer, Matthew Modabber; the second came after he had taken in a total of $3,100 from Modabber, according to records reviewed by POLITICO.
Modabber, who once wrote that the key to growth is “a product people can’t shut up about,” was putting his money where his mouth is. The Polymarket executive used a personal PayPal account to send at least $350,000 to Shirley and other content creators between January 2025 and February 2026, an analysis of the transactions shows.
Polymarket had made other appearances in the 24-year-old’s content, like in a series of man-on-the-street interviews about the “current state of America” posted in December.
The first post came after Shirley started to receive money from Polymarket’s chief marketing officer, Matthew Modabber; the second came after he had taken in a total of $3,100 from Modabber, according to records reviewed by POLITICO.
Modabber, who once wrote that the key to growth is “a product people can’t shut up about,” was putting his money where his mouth is. The Polymarket executive used a personal PayPal account to send at least $350,000 to Shirley and other content creators between January 2025 and February 2026, an analysis of the transactions shows.
Gee, one of the Krass bros… who would have thunk?!
As Brian Krassenstein, a progressive political commentator, put it in an October X post with no paid-promotion disclaimer: “It really is unbelievable how accurate Polymarket has been these last 9 months.”
Krassenstein, who received more than $9,300 from Modabber in the PayPal records reviewed by POLITICO, did not respond to requests for comment.
Krassenstein, who received more than $9,300 from Modabber in the PayPal records reviewed by POLITICO, did not respond to requests for comment.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/05/polymarket-paid-political-influencers-00932789