Shocking Confession: Kidnapper Admits to Abducting & Torturing Ontario’s ’Crypto King’ Aiden Pleterski
A dark chapter in crypto's wild west era closes as justice catches up.
Subheader: From Lambos to Handcuffs—The Fallout of Unregulated Fortunes
The self-proclaimed 'Crypto King' learned the hard way—not all volatility happens on charts. A guilty plea confirms what victims whispered for years: even digital gold rush millionaires aren't safe from old-school violence.
Subheader: When Moon Boys Meet Reality
No 100x returns could save Pleterski from a kidnapper's trunk. The case exposes crypto's dirty secret: behind the decentralized utopia, human greed still plays by medieval rules. Maybe next time, invest in a panic button instead of another shitcoin.
Guilty Plea Delays Trial of Two Remaining Suspects in “Crypto King” Kidnapping Case
The guilty plea prompted an adjournment in the separate trial of two other accused men, Akil Heywood and Alfredo Paladino, whose cases are still pending.
Justice Gillian Roberts granted the delay at the request of defense lawyers, and a new trial date has yet to be announced.
Heywood, 41, is a former investor in Pleterski’s ventures, who reportedly lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He faces three counts of kidnapping and two counts of extortion but maintains his innocence. Paladino will be tried alongside him on charges of kidnapping, extortion, assault, and firearms violations.
The events leading up to the abduction trace back to Pleterski’s high-profile bankruptcy in 2022.
Once flaunting a lavish lifestyle funded by investor money, private jets, luxury cars, and international vacations, Pleterski, now 26, allegedly misused more than $16 million of investor funds.
Deren Akyeam-Pong, le kidnappeur de «Crypto King», plaide coupable de neuf chefs d'accusation.
En décembre 2022, il avait enlevé Aiden Pleterski, surnommé le «Crypto King» en Ontario, pendant trois jours, au cours desquels 3 millions de dollars ont ete versé à ses… pic.twitter.com/ZBT5hGSDXZ
Investigators have recovered only about $3 million of the over $40 million he raised through cryptocurrency and foreign exchange schemes.
Heywood was initially appointed by investors to help recover the missing money before his own arrest in 2023.
On the same day CBC reporters learned of his detention, a 12-minute video surfaced, showing a bruised and shaken Pleterski apologizing to investors and explaining where the money went. His lawyer later said the statement was made under duress.
Pleterski’s legal troubles are far from over. In May 2024, he was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering tied to the same investments that sparked the kidnapping plot. His trial is set for October 2025.
Crypto-Related Physical Attacks Surge 169% in Six Months
As reported, physical attacks targeting Bitcoin and crypto holders are rising at an alarming rate, according to new data tracked by CASA co-founder Jameson Lopp.
Since late February, 35 new violent incidents have been reported globally, a 169% increase in just six and a half months.
The uptick adds to an already troubling trend, as cryptocurrency markets continue their bullish run.
In total, 48 attacks have occurred so far in 2025, marking a 33% increase over all of 2024. France alone has accounted for 14 of this year’s reported incidents.
One of the most disturbing cases took place on September 6 in Cambridge, Canada, where a young man was abducted at gunpoint and forced to transfer funds into a cryptocurrency wallet.
