For more than three days in late 2022, self-described “Crypto King” Aiden Pleterski was kidnapped off the streets of downtown Toronto, then threatened, tortured and terrorized by three men in a desperate attempt to collect on a massive, unpaid debt.

Last month, on the eve of a jury trial, Deren Akyeam-Pong pleaded guilty to the abduction in a surprise development in a case that has drawn international attention for the persona of its victim, Pleterski, who cultivated a flashy image as a guru for people looking to cash in on a crypto bubble.

Pleterski, 26, of Whitby, Ont., is facing a fraud trial next year on charges that he defrauded investors of more than $40 million. Police allege that while operating his investment company, Pleterski promised massive profits, but instead blew most

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