Aiden Pleterski, the Ontario man who branded himself a “crypto king” on social media, is scheduled to stand trial next week on fraud and money-laundering charges without a lawyer.
An Ontario Superior Court judge rejected his last-minute bid for more time to hire counsel, meaning the 27-year-old will represent himself before a jury in Toronto.
The four-week trial is set to open on October 5. Justice Shaun Nakatsuru denied the adjournment application on Monday.
Pleterski had argued through counsel that relatives were prepared to sell assets so he could retain a defence lawyer.
The Crown countered that those efforts lacked specificity and sincerity.
The judge gave no written reasons for refusing the delay.
Nakatsuru told Pleterski he would still receive a fair hearing. The judge said he would take an “enhanced role,” raising objections himself when necessary so the jury hears only admissible evidence.
He also invited Pleterski to stand and ask questions at any point rather than remain silent out of uncertainty.
Police charged Pleterski in May 2024 after a lengthy joint investigation by Durham Regional Police and the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).
Authorities allege he solicited tens of millions of dollars from clients between 2021 and 2022, promising high weekly returns from cryptocurrency and foreign-exchange trading while guaranteeing the original capital would be protected.
Investigators say only a small fraction of the money was actually placed in markets.
A bankruptcy trustee later reported that roughly $16 million appeared to have been spent on private jets, luxury vehicles, travel and a waterfront mansion.
About $3 million has been recovered for approximately 160 creditors.
The allegations have not been proven in court; Pleterski has denied wrongdoing.
The case first drew public attention in 2022 when investors forced him into bankruptcy while trying to recover funds they estimated at up to $40 million. Durham police later described the file as their largest fraud investigation.
Trial dates were originally confirmed in June 2025.
The fraud count alone carries a maximum penalty of 14 years if a conviction is entered.
Pleterski’s public image once centred on flashy social media posts showcasing cars, travel and high living.
That image collapsed after investors could not withdraw their money and after a separate, violent episode in late 2022 in which he was abducted.
Those events sit outside the current fraud indictment but form part of the broader public record surrounding the case.
Self-representation in a complex financial crime trial is unusual and risky.
Canadian judges routinely take extra steps to protect unrepresented accused persons, yet the procedural and evidentiary burden still falls heavily on the defendant.
It shoule now be interesting to see if that arrangement will affect the length or tone of the proceeding. And it also remains to be seen when the jury is selected next week.
The trial will test both the Crown’s documentary and witness evidence and Pleterski’s ability to navigate rules of evidence without professional assistance. Investors who lost money will be watching closely, as will those who follow high-profile crypto cases in Canada.