Aiden Pleterski, the Ontario man who branded himself a “crypto king” on social media, is scheduled to stand trial next week on fraud and money-laundering charges without a lawyer.

An Ontario Superior Court judge rejected his last-minute bid for more time to hire counsel, meaning the 27-year-old will represent himself before a jury in Toronto.

The four-week trial is set to open on October 5. Justice Shaun Nakatsuru denied the adjournment application on Monday.

Pleterski had argued through counsel that relatives were prepared to sell assets so he could retain a defence lawyer.

The Crown countered that those efforts lacked specificity and sincerity.

The judge gave no written reasons for refusing the delay.

Nakatsuru told Pleterski…