The trial of Aiden Pleterski, who refers to himself as the ‘Crypto King,’ has been postponed to next week due to a medical problem. The Crown had planned to present its final witness on Tuesday, but now the investor is scheduled to testify when the trial resumes in Toronto on Monday.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Shaun Nakatsuru informed the jury that the delay is due to a health issue affecting one of the trial participants, which he described as not severe but requiring immediate medical attention.
Nakatsuru expressed gratitude to the jury for their patience and attentiveness to the evidence presented. Pleterski, acting as his own defense, has pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud over $5,000 and money laundering. To date, he has only cross-examined one of the 13 witnesses called by the prosecution.
Most of the witnesses were investors who collectively gave Pleterski over $6 million. They testified that they entrusted him with their funds for trading in foreign exchange and cryptocurrency, with promised returns of 2 to 10 percent weekly. However, they claimed they never received their investments back.
The Crown alleges that Pleterski spent investors’ money on personal expenses rather than trading. A forensic accountant testified that out of the $36.3 million received from investors, Pleterski used $16.3 million on himself for luxury cars, credit card bills, travel, security, and other personal expenditures. Additionally, Pleterski dispersed $16.1 million to investors from the funds he received.
Following the conclusion of the Crown’s witness testimony next week, Pleterski will have the opportunity to present his own witnesses and testify in his defense if he chooses to do so.
