BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
The woman who admitted to stealing U.S. President Joe Biden's daughter Ashley's diary and helping sell it to conservative activists could face arrest as soon as Friday after skipping her sentencing, a federal judge said on Wednesday.
Aimee Harris was supposed to be sentenced in Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon. Her lawyers had earlier told U.S. District Judge Laura Swain that the Florida resident was "unable" to attend because of "childcare and other issues."
Harris' sentencing had been postponed twice this year because of similar issues.
With Harris appearing via video, Swain postponed sentencing until April 9. The judge said she would issue a warrant for Harris' arrest on Friday afternoon unless she submits additional documents including a financial affidavit by noon that day.
"I hope I don't have to," Swain said. "Neither you nor your children needs the United States Marshals looking for you, finding you and bringing you to New York."
An arrest warrant could lead to Harris spending time behind bars, a fate she likely would not have faced at sentencing.
Prosecutors had asked Swain to sentence Harris to six months of house arrest and three years of supervised release, while Harris requested probation.
Harris and another Florida resident, Robert Kurlander, pleaded guilty on Aug. 25, 2022 to conspiring to commit interstate transportation of stolen property in connection with Ashley Biden's diary.
According to court papers, Harris stole the diary after staying at a home in Delray Beach, Florida, where Ashley Biden had once stayed and was storing the diary and other possessions.
Harris enlisted Kurlander to help sell the diary, Ashley Biden's family photos, and other items to the conservative activist group Project Veritas, which paid them $20,000 each, the papers show.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan said Harris' communications with Kurlander indicated she was motivated in part by a desire to "harm Candidate-1's campaign" -- a reference to Democrat Joe Biden's successful 2020 White House run.
"While the substance of Harris' political views is of no relevance to this case, the manner in which she advanced them was far outside of lawful political activism of any kind," prosecutors wrote.
Kurlander is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12.
Project Veritas has said Harris and Kurlander claimed they obtained the diary lawfully.
The group said it did not publish a story because it could not confirm the diary was authentic, and instead arranged for it to be sent to Florida law enforcement.
Project Veritas frequently releases hidden camera footage seeking to show alleged wrongdoing by left-leaning organizations. It has frequently been accused of using deceptive tactics.
The Mamaroneck, New York-based group has long characterized its work as journalism.
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
A Quebec judge rejected McGill University's request for an injunction to remove the pro-Palestinian encampment on the university's campus in downtown Montreal.
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
The federal government says it has reached a deal with Canadian National Railway Company to acquire the historic Quebec Bridge.
Several news conferences will be held Wednesday morning to update the public on the wildfire situation in Alberta, specifically near Fort McMurray where four neighbourhoods have been evacuated.
A new COVID-19 subvariant is dominant in Canada, representing just over 30 per cent of cases in the country, but infectious disease experts say there’s no sign it’ll evolve into a summer 'scarient.'
Wildfires continue to impact air quality across Western Canada with health experts and Environment Canada warning that the smoke from the blazes poses serious risks to human health.
The husband of adult film actress Stormy Daniels said on Tuesday that there’s a 'good chance' the couple will leave the country if former U.S. president Donald Trump is acquitted in his Manhattan criminal trial.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.