Inside the rise and fall of the "Crypto King"

Plus, a potential cure for ALS and Ontario's record on prosecuting sex assaults is on blast [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on the rise and fall of an Ontario “Crypto King,” a potential cure for ALS on the horizon and Ontario’s “shameful record” on prosecuting sex assaults. DON’T MISS Instagram Crime [How a “Crypto King” allegedly went from video gamer to luxury jet-setter to bankruptcy]( Inspired by video game purchases and informed through YouTube videos and quick Google searches, Aiden Pleterski, the self-described “Crypto King,” began his venture into cryptocurrency investing at the tender age of 23, Jennifer Pagliaro and Raju Mudhar report. Two years later, the Whitby native finds himself at the centre of an alleged Ponzi scheme, after investors claimed he defrauded them of tens of millions of dollars. It’s alleged Pleterski only invested a fraction of the money he received from investors, instead spending $15.9 million on his personal lifestyle, from renting private jets to taking “elaborate vacations,” court documents read. [Take a look inside the rise and fall of a crypto empire](. - Context: Yesterday, the now 25-year-old was charged with fraud over $5,000 and laundering the proceeds of crime after allegedly defrauding an unknown number of unsuspecting investors. - ICYMI: The “investment prodigy” was kidnapped by armed men amid his multimillion-dollar bankruptcy case at the end of 2022. [After being lured into a vehicle, Pleterski was held captive and assaulted for three days](. - Wait what? One of Pletersky’s investors was arrested in the young man’s kidnapping. He was also present at a closed-door meeting on how to recoup their investments, [during which concerns “that someone will harm Pleterski” were discussed](. Health [Ontario researchers made a breakthrough in the race to cure ALS. Here’s what they found]( A team of researchers at Western University have made a major breakthrough that could pave the way to a cure for ALS, a devastating, terminal disease that kills most patients in two to five years. Fueled by a $10 million donation, the scientists believe their treatment could reach clinical trials in just five years. Their peer-reviewed paper may also spark new methods of treating diseases like frontotemporal dementia, given its similarities with ALS, I report. Unaffiliated experts tell me the findings are cause for “cautious optimism” that a cure for the currently irreversible disease could be on the horizon. [We break down the findings and why they matter](. - What we know: ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, gradually breaks down and kills the nerve cells linking our brains with our muscles. Over time, patients lose the ability to control their bodies and eventually stop breathing. - Tammy Moore’s take: Incidences of ALS in Canada are growing; nearly 4,000 Canadians currently live with the disease. About a quarter opt for medical assistance in dying (MAID), with many citing poor support as the reason. [We can do better. We must do better](. Cole Burston/The Canadian Press Ontario [NDP blasts Ford government for “shameful record” on sex assault prosecutions]( The NDP has pledged to “hold this government to account” when it comes to tracking and reporting the thousands of sex assault cases thrown out of court each year due to trial delays — a “shameful record” on the province, according to MPP Catherine Fife. “We’re going to develop a strategy not to let this government run away from their own disastrous courtroom system,” she told reporters yesterday. In 2022, 1,326 sex assault cases were tossed over delays or a shortage of judges; another 1,119 cases were thrown out last year, Kristin Rushowy reports. [Here’s why this is happening and what’s being done about it](. - Go deeper: Fife says the Ford government used its majority to shuffle her private member’s bill, Lydia’s Law, which cracks down on the tracking of criminal cases, to be studied by a committee. - Background: [The Star has reported extensively on a number of sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking cases that were stayed]( due to a lack of judges or delays in reaching trial. WHAT ELSE Wildfires are threatening to destroy their town. [Here’s why they’ve stayed behind](. [A new COVID-19 subvariant is dominant in Canada](. That might be a good thing. [Parents urge Toronto school board to combat anti-Palestinian racism]( and observe Nakba Day. [Tougher penalties for impaired driving won’t end the problem]( critics warn. [Slovakia’s populist prime minister was shot in an assassination attempt]( shocking Europe before elections. [The first case of a human contracting bird flu from a dairy cow]( was confirmed by officials: “The virus has jumped.” “Treated with compassion.” WSIB may pay out millions to [injured temporary foreign workers in program revamp](. Brampton’s Italpasta receives over $1.7 million in federal funding to [expand production and create 10 new jobs](. Deal or no deal? [Four trade scenarios for the Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner](. [Judge refuses McGill’s bid for injunction]( to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment. “We want smoke”: Downtown Toronto shooting victim was [making a music video with friends, Crown says at murder trial](. A Toronto Public Library card can now get you free admission to the CN Tower. [Here’s what else you can see for free](. POV Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press [Pierre Poilievre hints he’d like to strip Canadians of some rights. There’s something to think about when it’s time to vote]( CLOSE-UP Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press FORT MCMURRAY: The burnt spines of trees stand sentinel over Fort McMurray, Alberta, scars from the 2016 wildfire that tore through the town. [As new blazes force thousands to evacuate their homes, some residents feel the weight of history repeating itself](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_213792). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](