One of the men accused of abducting Ontario’s self-proclaimed “Crypto King,” Aiden Pleterski, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges over the violent 2022 kidnapping that stunned Canada’s crypto scene.
Key Takeaways:
Deren Akyeam-Pong pleaded guilty to nine charges in the 2022 kidnapping of Ontario’s “Crypto King.” His guilty plea delayed the separate trials of two other accused men, former investor Akil Heywood and Alfredo Paladino. Pleterski, who allegedly misused over $16 million in investor funds, now faces fraud and money laundering charges set for trial in 2025.Deren Akyeam-Pong, 26, admitted guilt to nine charges, including kidnapping, assault, and several firearms offenses, during a hearing in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto, according to a report by CBC.
The details of his plea remain under a temporary publication ban, but his admission marks the first conviction in a case that has become a cautionary tale about the darker side of crypto wealth and investor disputes.
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.
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.
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