An Ontario man accused of involvement in an international drug trafficking investigation linked to fugitive Ryan Wedding is asking the court to keep the identities of his proposed bail sureties confidential, citing serious concerns for their safety.
Rolan Sokolovski, who was arrested as part of a law enforcement sweep targeting alleged associates of Wedding, is facing extradition to the United States. Ahead of his bail hearing scheduled for next week, his legal team has filed an application requesting a publication ban on any information that could reveal the identities of individuals willing to supervise him if he is released on bail.
Sokolovski is among several Canadians named in a U.S.-led investigation into Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder who authorities allege is the leader of a violent international drug trafficking organization. U.S. prosecutors claim Sokolovski, a dual Lithuanian-Canadian citizen, played a key role in laundering drug proceeds and purchasing luxury goods on behalf of the organization.
During court proceedings on Friday, Sokolovski’s lawyer, Scott Fenton, argued that publicly identifying the proposed sureties would expose them to “great dangers,” given the nature of the alleged criminal network involved. The defence maintained that anonymity is necessary to protect individuals who are willing to support the bail process.
Crown prosecutors opposed the request, arguing there is no concrete evidence showing that the sureties face any specific safety threats. The Crown also said shielding their identities would undermine transparency and limit the public’s ability to understand how the court reaches decisions about bail in serious criminal cases.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden is expected to rule on the application on Monday, the same day Sokolovski’s bail hearing is set to begin.
According to the U.S. indictment, Sokolovski is described as a professional poker player, jeweller and procurer. He is also facing sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department, which alleges he managed bookkeeping operations and laundered illicit funds through his jewelry business as part of the criminal enterprise.
ISRO is closely examining data following an unexpected deviation in the PSLV-C62 mission, which laun
The UN Court opens discussions on Myanmar's actions against the Rohingya, potentially reshaping acco
Grok AI faces a temporary block in Malaysia after misuse for generating non-consensual sexual images
U.S. senators caution that military intervention in Iran may unite citizens and exacerbate unrest ra
