A self-proclaimed Canadian “crypto king” was allegedly kidnapped and tortured after scamming investors out of millions of dollars using the currency to live a glamorous lifestyle.
Aiden Pleterski, 24, is currently in bankruptcy proceedings as authorities in Canada desperately try to recover the $29 million he defrauded from investors, as only $1.6 million was returned, with a reliable report saying Pleterski spent most of it in a private jet, flashy cars and luxury vacations.
The latest revelations, made by Pleterski’s father in a government report detailing what happened to the funds, is that Pleterski was kidnapped in the middle of the night in December.
Adam Peters said he received a call in the middle of the night asking for $3 million Canadian dollars ($2.1 million USD) in ransom.
Peters later claims that his son was driven through Pleterski’s home province of Ontario, beaten and tortured.
Aiden Pleterski, 24, is currently in bankruptcy proceedings as authorities in Canada desperately try to recover the $29 million he defrauded from investors, as only $1.6 million was returned, with a reliable report saying Pleterski spent most of it in a private jet, flashy cars and luxury vacations
He was supposedly released after a few days, but threatened to get the money quickly or else.
One of the few calls he was allowed to make was to his landlord, who testified that Pleterski called him begging for the millions in ransom payments.
“I said, ‘There’s absolutely nothing I can do.’
No suspects have been revealed in the kidnapping and it is unclear if any arrests have been made.
Rob Stelzer, the trustee appointed to produce the report, said CTV received a call from Toronto police in early December about the kidnapping.
“I mean, obviously, he owes a lot of people a lot of money,” Stelzer said.
The $29 million may be just the start of what Pleterski owes investors, according to attorney Norman Groot, who was hired by some of those scammed by the crypto king.
Groot characterizes Pleterski as having run a Ponzi scheme with his clients.
The latest revelations, made by Pleterski’s father in a government report detailing what happened to the funds, are that Pleterski (pictured right) was kidnapped in the middle of the night in December.
Pleterski drove at least 10 different sports cars, including a rare McLaren Senna, bought for over $1 million in September 2021.
It is also alleged that he spent his millions on a private jet and various luxury vacations.
He’s trying to figure out how much Pleterski transferred from his account, with losses that could double that $29 million.
Pleterski claimed in 2021 that he lost investments when the cryptocurrency market crashed in the fall of that year.
“In doing so, I guess you could say that greed took over, and I was taking very aggressive positions, and I was trying to take profits that were obviously not feasible or not necessarily possible at the time, and it just caused more losses.” , said.
A report from trustees investigating the scheme says Pleterski took the $29 million from investors and said he would invest it in both crypto and foreign currencies.
The trustees say he invested almost $485,000, or less than two percent of the total available funds.
The report alleges that he spent approximately $362,000 in a warehouse where he stored the remaining cash.
Canadian government investigators are trying to figure out how to recover the millions lost by Pleterski, seen here with Machine Gun Kelly.
It also says that Pleterski drove at least 10 different sports cars, including a rare McLaren Senna, bought for more than $1 million in September 2021.
Another $700,000 went into the mansion Pleterski lived in, including both the rent and the down payment to ultimately purchase it.
He gave another $940,000 to an associate, while Stelzer says Pleterski’s parents also received about $800,000 from their son.
Stelzer, the government trustee, wants the properties sold and the money returned to Pleterski’s investors.
Pleterski’s lawyers have yet to comment on the kidnapping allegations, according to CBC.