An Ontario man arrested in connection with a crackdown on alleged associates of Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding is seeking court protection for his potential bail supervisors’ identities.
Rolan Sokolovski, represented by legal counsel, has requested a shield on any information that could reveal his proposed sureties before his upcoming bail hearing. Sokolovski is among several Canadians facing extradition to the U.S. as part of an FBI probe into Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder accused of leading a violent global drug network.
According to U.S. authorities, Sokolovski, a dual Lithuanian-Canadian citizen, is accused of money laundering for the criminal group and procuring luxury items for Wedding. His lawyer, Scott Fenton, raised concerns about potential risks faced by the proposed sureties if their identities were made public.
However, Crown prosecutors assert there is no evidence of threats to the sureties’ safety, and argue that public disclosure of this information is vital for the transparency of the court’s decision on Sokolovski’s release.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden is set to make a ruling on Sokolovski’s application as his bail hearing kicks off.