Ben Pasternak pleaded not guilty after an arrest tied to an alleged March 31 incident involving influencer Evelyn Ha.
NEW YORK — Australian entrepreneur Ben Pasternak pleaded not guilty after his April 21 arrest on strangulation and assault charges tied to a March 31 incident involving influencer Evelyn Ha in Manhattan, New York criminal court records show.
The case has drawn attention because Pasternak, 26, rose from teenage app founder to plant-based food entrepreneur and later became linked to a cryptocurrency platform now facing a separate federal civil lawsuit. Court records list one count of second-degree strangulation and one count of third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury. His next appearance is scheduled for June 11 in New York Criminal Court.
The criminal case began with an alleged incident on March 31, the same date Pasternak’s representatives said his relationship with Ha ended. He was arrested April 21 by officers from the NYPD’s 18th Precinct, according to court records. The case was arraigned later that day before Judge Ilona B. Coleman. Records show Pasternak was released on his own recognizance, and the case was adjourned with a temporary order of protection. His attorney is Joshua D. Kirshner, a retained lawyer based in Garden City. Kirshner said in a statement that the “allegations mischaracterize what occurred” and said he expects the facts to show the charges are unwarranted.
Media accounts citing court papers and prosecutors said the alleged assault happened at the Baccarat Hotel on West 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan. Those accounts said Pasternak allegedly squeezed Ha’s neck with both hands and that she later sought medical attention for redness to her neck, throat pain and trouble breathing. The same reports said he also allegedly slammed a door on her, causing bruising to her arms and hips. The publicly available court summary does not include those injury details, and it does not identify Ha by name as the complainant. Pasternak’s representatives and attorney have addressed the allegations as coming from Ha, while denying wrongdoing.
Dini von Mueffling, a public relations executive speaking for Pasternak, said he “unilaterally denies the accusation Evelyn Ha has made against him.” She described herself as Pasternak’s longtime friend and said he had been advised not to comment directly because of the criminal case. Von Mueffling also said Pasternak acted in self-defense and claimed Ha was the aggressor. Ha, a Korean American creator known for fashion, lifestyle and family content, spoke about the breakup in a video after the arrest became public. She said “serious boundaries” had been crossed and that she left the relationship “for the sake of my safety and my wellbeing.”
Pasternak was born in Australia and became known as a teenage technology founder before moving into consumer startups. He later co-founded Simulate, the plant-based food company behind Nuggs, a vegan chicken nugget brand that attracted high-profile investors and was once reported to have a valuation above $250 million. Pasternak then moved into cryptocurrency through Believe, a token platform that became the subject of investor claims in federal court. The criminal case is separate from that civil lawsuit, and no court record reviewed for the criminal case says the assault charge is connected to the investor dispute.
The federal lawsuit was filed March 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by plaintiffs Joshua Lee and Pierre Montmeas. It names Pasternak, B24 Inc., Believe Foundation and unnamed defendants. The complaint seeks damages and a jury trial, alleging deceptive business practices, false advertising, unfair competition, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment tied to tokens known as $PASTERNAK, $LAUNCHCOIN and $BELIEVE. The plaintiffs allege that consumers lost money through token launches, fees, a migration and supply changes. Those claims have not been proven in court.
The complaint says the proposed class includes people and entities who purchased, acquired or held the three tokens from Jan. 8, 2025, through the filing date and suffered losses tied to the alleged conduct. It also alleges the $PASTERNAK token declined 99.5% and the $LAUNCHCOIN token declined 99.98% from highs, while a migration announcement caused another drop. The filing says damages are estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Court docket entries show Pasternak and the Believe Foundation were served in the civil case on April 17, four days before the arrest listed in the criminal matter.
The Manhattan criminal case now moves toward its next scheduled court date. Records list the case number as CR-011621-26NY and show the top charge is second-degree strangulation, a felony under New York law. The assault count is listed as a misdemeanor. The case was referred to a problem-solving or alternative court program, according to the appearance record, but the public record does not state what program or conditions may apply. The court record also does not show a conviction, plea deal or final disposition. Pasternak is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Ha has not filed a detailed public account matching the full language of the criminal complaint, and several details remain unknown. The public court record does not show whether surveillance video, witness statements, medical records or hotel records have been filed. It also does not show whether prosecutors will seek additional charges or whether defense lawyers will ask the court to dismiss or reduce the case. For now, the clearest official record is the charge sheet, the not-guilty plea and the June court date.
The next scheduled milestone is Pasternak’s June 11 appearance at 9 a.m. in New York Criminal Court. Until then, the criminal case remains pending, and the separate federal investor lawsuit continues on its own track.