Canadian 'Crypto King' Pleterski fraud case sent to jury for deliberation

ChainCatcher report: The criminal case involving Aiden Pleterski, who calls himself the "King of Crypto" in Canada, has concluded its closing arguments and will now be submitted to the jury for deliberation. Presiding Judge Shaun Nakatsuru has delivered final instructions to the jury, which is scheduled to begin deliberations on Thursday. Pleterski is accused of defrauding approximately $30 million from social media followers between 2021 and 2022; he was charged with fraud in 2024 and has been awaiting trial for over two years. During his closing statement, Pleterski pleaded not guilty, stating: "I am not guilty of these charges, which is why I did not plead guilty. This would have been proven if I had not been forced to defend myself. That’s all I have to say." Due to his decision to represent himself, he acted as his own attorney in court. If convicted of fraud, he faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. In a separate criminal case, five men are charged with kidnapping and torturing Pleterski in 2022, some of whom are reportedly victims of his scam. Defendant Deren Akyeam-Pong has pleaded guilty to nine charges and is awaiting sentencing. Pleterski is one of several figures in the crypto industry currently facing trial on fraud charges; former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted in 2023 and is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.