Fraud trial for Ontario's 'Crypto King' set to begin in Oct. 2026

A court in Toronto has set a trial date for Aiden Pleterski, the self-styled "Crypto King" accused of defrauding investors out of more than $40 million.

Pleterski wore a black Green Day T-shirt as he appeared in Ontario Superior Court Wednesday afternoon by video. A judge confirmed Pleterski's four-week jury trial would begin Oct. 5, 2026.

The 26-year-old is alleged to have only invested a small portion of the money clients gave to him to put in cryptocurrency and foreign currency markets. Instead, he's suspected of spending much of it on luxury cars, vacations and a lakefront mansion — all for himself.

Pleterski has denied the allegations.

Pleterski was charged last year with fraud and money laundering. Durham Regional Police called the case their biggest-ever fraud investigation.

"It's alleged that Pleterski solicited funds from investors promising massive profits and also guaranteeing no loss for the original money put out by investors," Durham police Chief Peter Moreira said last year.

"These investors became concerned when they were unable to access money held by Pleterski and came forward to police."

Those complaints about Pleterski and his company AP Private Equity, in July 2022, kicked off a joint-investigation between Durham police and the Ontario Securities Commission. 

At the time, Moreira declined to say how many investors had spoken to police.

WATCH | Self-proclaimed 'Crypto King' arrested: 

What we know so far about the fraud charges against Ontario’s ‘Crypto King’

1 year ago

Duration 9:18

Aiden Pleterski, Ontario’s self-proclaimed Crypto King, is accused of bilking investors out of more than $40M. Police in Whitby, Ont., spoke to the media on Thursday after investigators charged him and an associate with fraud. CBC’s Angelina King breaks down what we know so far about the ongoing case.

Pleterski's arrest last year was just the latest twist following a CBC Toronto investigation into the Whitby, Ont., man.

Previously, one of his investors was arrested for allegedly kidnapping Pleterski in December 2022. The following year, Canadian NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander successfully sued to get out of his $8.4 million purchase of the mansion where Pleterski used to live.

Pleterski was forced into bankruptcy by some investors in the summer of 2022. 

Separately, he faces charges including assault, forcible confinement and uttering threats, in an alleged case of intimate partner violence. Documents filed in a Newmarket court show the charges stem from a series of incidents involving a woman in nearby Vaughan in January. No trial date has been set for those charges.