During the ongoing trial in Kingston, Ontario, Michael Haaima testified that he has had approximately 1,500 sexual partners. The 42-year-old faced 98 charges initially, but pleaded guilty to two at the trial’s start in May 2025. Recently, eight charges were dropped as two complainants decided not to proceed, and a ninth charge was also stayed by the Crown.
Haaima spent a week testifying in his defense at Kingston’s Superior Court of Justice, refuting allegations of sexual assault and accessing child sexual abuse material. He denied most of the accusations related to over two dozen complainants, asserting that they never occurred.
In his testimony, Haaima admitted to engaging in paid sexual services and entering a relationship with a 15-year-old when he was 23. He mentioned involvement with other teenagers, believing they were of legal age. Haaima described multiple simultaneous sexual encounters with different women, labeling them as “friends with benefits” rather than relationships.
During cross-examination, Haaima defined “friends with benefits” as casual sexual encounters without emotional attachment, stating that consent is essential. He acknowledged that some women he initially paid for sex later became part of this arrangement. When questioned about appropriateness, he stated that sex with individuals aged 15-17 is inappropriate.
Regarding his extensive sexual history, Haaima estimated his total partners at around 1,500, attributing his difficulty in remembering names to this vast number. He mentioned a preference for recognizing faces over names and recalled only two complainants by sight.
Haaima admitted to using condoms upon request and speculated that he might have contracted chlamydia multiple times. The Crown also delved into Haaima’s troubled past, including drug use, theft from family, and his father’s death, leading to his eventual rehabilitation.
The trial is set to resume in November with further cross-examination anticipated.