Today, lawyers will present their arguments at a bail hearing for Rolan Sokolovski, an Ontario man accused of laundering vast sums of money for an international drug smuggling network. Sokolovski, a jeweller and former professional poker player, is pushing for release before his extradition trial. He is among eight Canadians arrested in connection with an investigation into Ryan Wedding, a former Team Canada snowboarder suspected of leading a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring.
Officials in the U.S. claim that Sokolovski acted as the “de facto bank” for the criminal organization, managing its finances and funneling drug proceeds through his jewelry business, Diamond Tsar. The U.S. Department of Justice recently alleged that the 37-year-old holds significant cryptocurrency and physical assets, making him a flight risk and a potential danger to the public.
During a recent interrogation in Toronto, prosecutors scrutinized Sokolovski’s financial situation and vetted the individuals willing to supervise him if granted bail. The identities of these potential supervisors are shielded by a publication ban for their safety.
Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic athlete, is wanted by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation for allegedly masterminding the transportation of large quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Canada via Mexico and the U.S. Wedding and his associate are also accused of ordering attacks on individuals they viewed as threats to their criminal operations.