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Self-described 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski’s criminal fraud and money laundering trial will begin next week, after the trial judge denied a request to delay it on Monday in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice.
Self-described 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski’s criminal fraud and money laundering trial will begin next week, after the trial judge denied a request to delay it on Monday in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice.
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Self-described 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski's criminal fraud and money laundering trial will begin next week, after the trial judge denied a request to delay it on Monday.
Pleterski, 27, filed an application for adjournment earlier this month so he could have more time to hire a lawyer to represent him at trial. Ontario Superior Court Justice Shaun Nakatsuru denied the request for adjournment, which means Pleterski will represent himself at his jury trial in Toronto.
"I want to assure you that even though this isn't your first choice, obviously — you will receive a fair trial," Nakatsuru said to Pleterski in court. "I want you to be very free in asking questions … don't hesitate, just get up on your feet and ask me. " The judge also explained the "enhanced role" he will play in the trial given that Pleterski is self-represented.
Nakatsuru said he will make objections on Pleterski's behalf, to ensure only admissible evidence gets in front of the jury. Pleterski was charged with fraud over $5,000 and laundering the proceeds of crime in May 2024 by Durham Regional Police in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar investment fraud scheme. Durham Regional Police arrested and charged Aiden Pleterski with fraud and money laundering in May 2024.
CBC Toronto has reported extensively on Pleterski since the summer of 2022, when he was forced into bankruptcy by some of his investors trying to recover $40 million they gave him to invest in cryptocurrency and foreign exchange. Pleterski claimed family would soon help pay for lawyerPleterski hired lawyer Marco Sciarra to bring the motion for an adjournment earlier this month.
In his submissions on Monday, Sciarra argued his client had been making efforts to secure the funds to retain a lawyer for trial. If the adjournment was granted, Sciarra argued, Pleterski's extended family members were willing to liquidate assets to help him obtain a lawyer for trial.
However, the names of those family members and details on the assets were not provided to the court. Crown attorney Scott Patterson raised that issue in his submissions, and argued Pleterski has not been "honest and genuine with his attempts to obtain counsel.
"Nicole Brockbank is a reporter for CBC Toronto's Enterprise Unit. She digs up, researches and reports GTA-focused investigative and enterprise stories. nicole.brockbank@cbc.caMan on trial for being accessory after murder now accused of tampering with witness
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