Canadian "crypto king" Aiden Pleterski kidnapped, tortured and held for $3 million ransom

Canada's self-proclaimed "crypto king" Aiden Pleterski went through quite an ordeal. Kidnapped. Tortured. Held for ransom. All this came to light in court documents filed last year. It seems his troubles began after allegedly swindling millions from investors.

Bankruptcy struck Pleterski in 2022. Why? He reportedly ran an investment scheme that left him facing claims worth $25 million. The Ontario Court of Appeal backed this bankruptcy decision. His creditors aren't giving up.

He made big promises. Pool investor funds for crypto and forex trading, he said. But reality tells a different story. Of the $41.5 million people trusted him with, court records suggest he only invested about $670,000. That's not even 2%. Kind of shocking, really.

The rest? Gone on his "personal lifestyle." Private jets. Luxury getaways. And cars. So many cars. Ferrari. Four Audis. Three Lamborghinis. Three McLarens. Land Rover. BMWs. Nearly $16 million spent this way.

Then came December 2022. Toronto police contacted bankruptcy trustee Rob Stelzer. Pleterski had been kidnapped. His father Dragan later testified about it.

"They took him away," the father said. Three days of hell followed. Driving around southern Ontario. Beatings. Torture. Limited contact with the outside world.

During captivity, Pleterski reached out to his landlord Sandeep Gupta. He needed $3 million—fast—for the kidnappers. They eventually let him go, but with conditions. Find the money. Don't talk to police. The threat loomed large.

"He was warned," Dragan testified. Quick cash or consequences. Police involvement would make things worse.

Aiden has his own version of events. He claims everything started falling apart around November 2021. Crypto markets tumbled from their peaks. All investments—supposedly lost. Losses mounted. He took what he called "a very aggressive stance" trying to recover funds.

"I tried to redeem myself," he testified. But it didn't work out. "Greed took over," he admitted. Chasing impossible returns led to more losses.

As of September 2025, Pleterski faces fraud charges. His trial won't begin until October 2026. Durham Regional Police aren't mincing words—they're calling it their biggest fraud investigation ever. Not his only legal trouble either. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty in a separate assault case.