Crypto King Aiden Pleterski Goes It Alone at Toronto Trial
Aiden Pleterski, a 27-year-old Canadian known as the 'Crypto King,' will represent himself in a four-week jury trial starting Monday. He faces charges of fraud over $5,000 and laundering proceeds of crime.
The Ontario Superior Court judge denied Pleterski's request to delay the trial so he could hire a lawyer. The judge assured Pleterski that he would receive a fair trial, despite representing himself, and promised to raise objections on his behalf to ensure only admissible evidence reaches the jury.
Pleterski was charged in May 2024 after a joint investigation by Durham Regional Police and the Ontario Securities Commission. He is accused of defrauding investors who handed him about $40 million to trade cryptocurrency and foreign exchange, recovering roughly $3 million through bankruptcy proceedings.