'Crypto King' tells court he fears he might soon end up in jail cell with his kidnappers
Self-described "Crypto King" Aiden Pleterski blamed his kidnapping for the fact he's currently representing himself at his fraud and money laundering trial in a victim impact statement he read at the sentencing submissions for his kidnapper in Superior Court in Toronto on Thursday.
Aiden Pleterski read his victim impact statement in sentencing of kidnapper Thursday
Nicole Brockbank · CBC News
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Self-described "Crypto King" Aiden Pleterski blamed his kidnapping for the fact he's currently representing himself at his own trial in a victim impact statement he read at the sentencing submissions hearing for his kidnapper on Thursday.
"I have had to forego any normal routines, like having a steady job, as a safety precaution, which has spiralled into significant financial difficulties which have had far reaching consequences," said Pleterski in Superior Court in Toronto.
"The most significant is my inability to pay for a lawyer to defend me against the false allegations that this individual and others have made against me."
Pleterski's jury trial is currently underway in the same courthouse. He's pleaded not guilty to fraud over $5,000 and money laundering. So far Pleterski has only cross-examined the first of a dozen witnesses called by the Crown.
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Deren Akyeam-Pong pleaded guilty to nine charges related to Pleterski's 2022 kidnapping in October of last year. Those charges include kidnapping, assault and various gun charges.
This photo of Pleterski during his December 2022 kidnapping was entered as an exhibit during the guilty plea of his kidnapper Deren Akyeam-Pong. (Ontario Superior Court)
Pleterski, now 27, thought he was meeting with a potential investor on Dec. 5, 2022, when a gun was pressed into his ribs in the backseat of a pickup truck in Toronto. The abduction was the beginning of a three-day-long kidnapping during which Pleterski was threatened and tortured.
The torture included waterboarding, cigarette burns and getting beaten with golf clubs as his captors drove him between several locations in southern Ontario, according to the agreed statement of facts from Akyeam-Pong's guilty plea.
Three other men have also been charged in Pleterski's kidnapping. Their trial is expected to start later this year.
'Cannot sleep at night': Pleterski
"The thought that I may soon end up sharing a jail cell with my kidnappers has completely debilitated my ability to think clearly through this," read Pleterski in court Thursday.
"I cannot sleep at night. I come to court alone and am being asked to represent myself, but all I think about is being locked in a prison for an extended period of time with the same people who kidnapped, beat and threatened me."
Pleterski also spoke about the "emotional consequences" of his kidnapping, which he said are "difficult to explain to those who have not lived through it."
"Fear, stress, uncertainty and the continuing effort to process what happened consumes my thoughts and affects my well-being on a continuous basis."
The Crown in Pleterski's fraud and money laundering trial is alleging he spent investor money on himself, including on flights on private jets. (aiden_pletersik/Instagram)
The Crown in Pleterski's trial is alleging he guaranteed the money his investors gave him for trading, but never actually invested the funds. Instead, Crown prosecutor Scott Patterson argues Pleterski spent the money on himself, including on exotic cars, flights on private jets, lavish shopping and credit card bills that ran into the millions.
"Whatever opinions people may have of me, my financial affairs or the circumstances that preceded these events, no financial dispute justifies kidnapping, violence or intimidation," Pleterski said in his victim impact statement.
"Ultimately, I want to be able to move forward with my life without being defined by these events. I just hope that the time will come that I don't have to look over my shoulder or worry about the safety of my family."
Tracey Vogel, the Crown prosecutor in the kidnapping sentencing, is asking for a 23-year sentence for Akyeam-Pong related to the kidnapping conviction and a separate conviction for eight gun and drug-related offences.
Craig Zeeh, Akyeam-Pong's lawyer, is asking for a 12-year sentence. Sentencing submissions are expected to continue Thursday and Friday.
Pleterski's fraud trial is expected to continue Friday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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
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