- An Ontario judge denied Aiden Pleterski’s request to delay his fraud and money laundering trial.
- The four-week jury trial begins Monday, with Pleterski representing himself against charges of fraud over $5,000.
- Investors gave Pleterski roughly $40 million, but bankruptcy proceedings recovered only about $3 million.
Aiden Pleterski, the 27-year-old Canadian self-styled “Crypto King,” will defend himself against fraud and money laundering charges at a Toronto jury trial starting Monday after a judge refused a last-minute postponement.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Shaun Nakatsuru Canada/toronto/crypto-king-aiden-pleterski-will-represent-himself-at-his-fraud-trial-next-week-9.7361265″>denied the adjournment application, leaving Pleterski without counsel for the trial whose dates were set in June 2025. “I want to assure you that even though this isn’t your first choice, obviously, you will receive a fair trial,” Nakatsuru told him.
The judge established an “enhanced role” for himself, stating he will raise objections on Pleterski’s behalf. Pleterski had retained lawyer Marco Sciarra for the adjournment application alone, who argued his client’s family would liquidate assets to pay for counsel if the case were delayed.
Crown attorney Scott Patterson countered that Pleterski had not been “honest and genuine with his attempts to obtain counsel.” No reasons were given for the refusal. Pleterski was charged in May 2024 following a joint investigation by Durham Regional Police and the Ontario Securities Commission.
An associate, Colin Murphy, also faces one count of fraud over $5,000. Investors forced Pleterski into bankruptcy in 2022 to recover roughly $40 million they had entrusted to him for trading.
The trustee found he invested less than 2% of that sum while spending nearly $16 million on himself, a finding Pleterski disputes. Pleterski was kidnapped and tortured in late 2022, held for a $3 million ransom by men demanding money he no longer had.
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