A self-proclaimed figure in the crypto world, Aiden Pleterski, faced a harrowing ordeal as his life hung in the balance during a dramatic kidnapping incident. The perpetrator, Deren Akyeam-Pong, held Pleterski at gunpoint and demanded information before shooting near his head. The distressing event, captured in a 13-second video, occurred in Toronto in December 2022.
Pleterski, then 26 years old, believed he was meeting a potential investor but found himself in a nightmare situation. Over the next three days, he endured torture including waterboarding, burns from cigarettes, and beatings with golf clubs as he was shuttled between multiple locations in southern Ontario.
The revelation of these chilling details emerged from the court proceedings of Akyeam-Pong, who pleaded guilty to charges like kidnapping and assault. The temporary publication ban on the court filing and video was lifted recently by Justice Linda Shin.
The kidnapping was allegedly orchestrated by Akil Heywood, who sought to recoup investments made with Pleterski. Heywood, along with Alfredo Paladino and Rakeem Henry, is facing charges related to the abduction. Heywood reportedly instigated the kidnapping to reclaim funds he believed were owed to him.
Prior to his abduction, Pleterski was entangled in a bankruptcy case initiated by his investors to recover funds exceeding $40 million. However, only a fraction of the amount has been retrieved for approximately 160 investors, with Pleterski purportedly spending a significant portion on personal expenses.
The perpetrators subjected Pleterski to further torment, including mutilation and threats to his family, before finally releasing him. Akyeam-Pong was apprehended with a loaded handgun and is awaiting trial. Pleterski, facing separate charges of fraud and money laundering, is scheduled for trial in October 2026.