The Norwegian Nobel Institute recently announced the results of an internal investigation saying that the name of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado was leaked in advance before the official announcement. The most likely reason is that the Nobel Institute’s computer system was hacked. The investigation believes that an individual hacker or a state-level actor may have illegally obtained relevant confidential information through cyber attacks. The investigation was led internally by the institute, with assistance from security services.
According to reports, hours before last year’s Peace Prize was announced, betting on Machado’s win suddenly increased significantly on the prediction market platform Polymarket. Before that, the Venezuelan opposition leader was not considered a favorite for the 2025 Peace Prize. This unusual betting behavior has raised suspicions that someone may have undisclosed inside information.
“We still believe that the digital realm is the biggest suspect,” Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, said in an interview. He also said that due to the current "lack of a clear and verifiable crime path," the institute decided not to formally report the case to the police for investigation.
Related articles:
Maria Collina Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize
Mysterious trader successfully bet on the Nobel Peace Prize and officials are launching an investigation