Key facts
- Aiden Pleterski, a self-described 'crypto king,' will represent himself at his criminal trial.
- Pleterski allegedly defrauded investors of about $30 million between 2021 and 2022.
- He faces charges of money laundering and fraud, filed in May 2024.
- The trial is scheduled to begin next week and is expected to last four weeks.
- In December 2022, Pleterski was allegedly kidnapped and tortured by individuals reportedly seeking repayment for scheme losses.
The criminal trial for Aiden Pleterski, a social media personality accused of running a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, is scheduled to commence next week in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice. Pleterski, who allegedly defrauded investors of approximately $30 million between 2021 and 2022, will represent himself in court after being unable to secure legal counsel for a trial delay. Canadian authorities filed charges of money laundering and fraud against him in May 2024, stemming from claims of soliciting investments with false promises of large weekly profits. The trial is anticipated to last about four weeks, with the fraud charge carrying a potential maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Pleterski's case follows a trend of high-profile crypto figures facing charges amid a market downturn and bankruptcies in 2022. In a separate incident in December 2022, Pleterski was reportedly kidnapped and tortured for three days by individuals who allegedly demanded repayment for losses from his scheme, threatening his life and family.