A man from Ontario apprehended in a crackdown targeting suspected associates of Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding is seeking court protection for the identities of those willing to supervise him on bail.
Rolan Sokolovski, represented by his lawyers, has filed a request prior to his upcoming bail hearing to prevent the disclosure of details that could reveal his potential sureties.
Sokolovski is among several Canadians facing extradition to the U.S. in connection with an FBI probe into Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder believed to be leading a violent international drug trafficking operation.
According to U.S. authorities, Sokolovski, a dual Lithuanian-Canadian citizen, is accused of money laundering for the criminal group and purchasing luxury goods for Wedding.
During a court session on Friday, Sokolovski’s attorney, Scott Fenton, argued that exposing the identities of the proposed sureties could put them at significant risk.
On the other hand, Crown prosecutors contended that there is no proof of threats to the sureties’ safety and that keeping them anonymous would withhold vital information from the public in understanding the court’s decision on Sokolovki’s release.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden is set to make a ruling on the matter as Sokolovski’s bail hearing commences.
Sokolovski, as per his U.S. indictment, is also described as a professional poker player, jeweler, and procurer, facing allegations from the U.S. Treasury Department of overseeing financial records for the organization and money laundering through his jewelry business.
Court records indicate that Sokolovski crafted a “bejeweled necklace” that was allegedly used as payment to a suspected hitman involved in aiding the murder of a federal witness by providing information to Wedding.
Wedding, who is believed to be evading authorities in Mexico, is listed by the FBI as one of its top fugitives.
Earlier, a lawyer from the Toronto area accused of a pivotal role in the criminal network was granted bail with stringent conditions, including round-the-clock home confinement. Deepak Paradkar’s wife and another relative are standing as his sureties.
Paradkar is alleged to have advised Wedding on the murder of a federal witness, introduced the former athlete to drug traffickers, and overseen intelligence operations post law enforcement seizing drugs.
