Aiden Pleterski, a 27-year-old Ontario man who styled himself the “Crypto King,” will represent himself at his criminal fraud and money laundering trial after a judge denied his request to delay proceedings, according to court filings reported by CBC.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Shaun Nakatsuru rejected an adjournment application that Pleterski had filed earlier this month seeking more time to hire a lawyer. The four-week jury trial, with dates set back in June 2025, is scheduled to begin in Toronto.
Judge Denies Delay Request
Pleterski’s lawyer, Marco Sciarra, had argued in court that his client was working to secure funds for legal representation and that extended family members were prepared to liquidate assets to help pay for a lawyer if the trial were postponed. However, the names of those family members and details of the assets in question were not disclosed to the court.
Crown attorney Scott Patterson pushed back on that argument, telling the court Pleterski had not been “honest and genuine” in his efforts to retain counsel. Nakatsuru did not provide reasons for denying the adjournment.
Because Pleterski will now represent himself, Nakatsuru said he would take on an “enhanced role” during the trial, including raising objections on Pleterski’s behalf to keep inadmissible evidence from reaching the jury. The judge told Pleterski he would receive a fair trial and encouraged him to ask questions freely during proceedings.
Scheme Left Investors With Major Losses
Pleterski was charged in May 2024 by Durham Regional Police with fraud over $5,000 and laundering proceeds of crime, in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar investment scheme. Another individual, Colin Murphy, was charged alongside him. At the time of the charges, Pleterski’s parents posted a $100,000 surety for his bail, while Murphy was released on an undertaking.
The case traces back to the summer of 2022, when some of Pleterski’s investors forced him into bankruptcy in an effort to recover roughly $40 million they had given him to invest in cryptocurrency and foreign exchange. The bankruptcy proceeding ultimately recovered about $3 million for approximately 160 investors.
What’s Next
The trial is set to begin in Toronto, with Pleterski navigating the proceedings without legal counsel while the presiding judge assists with procedural matters to help ensure a fair hearing.
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