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Canadian ‘crypto king’ case to go to jury as criminal trial winds down
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Aiden Pleterski, the Canadian self-described “crypto king,” will have his criminal fraud case handed to a jury after closing arguments this week. The jury is scheduled to begin deliberations on Thursday following final instructions from Justice Shaun Nakatsuru. Pleterski has denied wrongdoing and chose to represent himself at trial.
Prosecutors allege Pleterski defrauded his social media followers out of about $30 million between 2021 and 2022. He was charged with fraud in 2024 after a case that had been pending for more than two years. The allegations center on a digital asset Ponzi scheme, according to CBC reporting.
In his closing statement, Pleterski maintained his innocence. “I am innocent of these charges,” he said. “That is why I pled not guilty.” He also suggested that representing himself prevented him from proving his case.
If convicted, Pleterski could face up to 14 years in prison. The case is one of several high-profile crypto fraud prosecutions. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year sentence in the United States after his 2023 fraud conviction.
The Pleterski matter has also produced a separate criminal case. Five men, some reportedly victims of his alleged scheme, were charged with kidnapping and torturing him in 2022. One defendant, Deren Akyeam-Pong, pleaded guilty to nine charges and awaits sentencing.
The jury’s deliberations will determine whether Pleterski becomes one of the crypto industry’s convicted fraud figures. His trial has drawn attention because of the scale of the alleged losses and his decision to defend himself. A verdict could carry significant consequences for how Canadian authorities pursue similar digital asset cases.
