‘Crypto King’ Aiden Pleterski’s fraud trial begins in Toronto

Aiden Pleterski, who described himself as the ‘Crypto King,’ enters the Superior Court of Justice building, in Toronto on Oct. 5. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)Social SharingSelf-described "Crypto King" Aiden Pleterski's criminal trial will begin Tuesday morning in Toronto. 

Pleterski, 27, pleaded not guilty to fraud of over $5,000 and money laundering ahead of jury selection in Ontario Superior Court on Monday.

He’s representing himself at trial.

A jury of seven men and seven women was selected Monday afternoon. Justice Shaun Nakatsuru decided on 14 people, given the trial is expected to last a month. However, only 12 jurors will deliberate at the end of the case.

Pleterski was arrested in May 2024, after a lengthy joint investigation by Durham Regional Police and the Ontario Securities Commission dubbed Project Swan. Police alleged Pleterski operated a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme with funds he received from investors between July 2020 and the end of July 2022.

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 millions of dollars they gave him to invest in cryptocurrency and foreign exchange. 

Crown prosecutors are expected to call more than a dozen witnesses over the course of the trial. 

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.ca