A Toronto man arrested in a major international investigation targeting associates of fugitive former Olympian Ryan Wedding is asking a judge to keep the identities of his potential bail supervisors secret, citing fears for their safety.
Bail Hearing Begins Amid Secrecy Request
Lawyers for Rolan Sokolovski appeared in Ontario Superior Court on Friday, January 10, 2026, seeking a publication ban on information that could identify the individuals proposing to supervise him if he is released on bail. His bail hearing is scheduled to begin next week.
Scott Fenton, Sokolovski's lawyer, argued that publicly naming his client's proposed sureties could expose them to "great dangers." This request sets the stage for a legal clash between the right to a fair process and the principle of open courts.
Prosecution Opposes Secrecy in High-Profile Case
Crown prosecutors opposed the application, countering that there is no evidence of specific safety threats against the potential sureties. They argued that shielding their identities would deprive the public of important context needed to understand the court's eventual decision on Sokolovski's release.
Justice Peter Bawden is expected to rule on the secrecy application on Monday, as the bail hearing gets underway. Sokolovski, 37, is one of several Canadians facing extradition to the United States as part of a sweeping FBI investigation.
Alleged Role in Wedding's Criminal Empire
The U.S. investigation centres on Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder now listed as one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. He is alleged to be the leader of a violent international drug trafficking ring and is believed to be hiding in Mexico.
Authorities allege Sokolovski, who holds dual Lithuanian-Canadian citizenship, played a key financial role in the organization. U.S. indictments claim he laundered drug money through his jewelry business and acted as a bookkeeper for the syndicate. He also faces sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department.
Court documents contain particularly grave allegations, stating Sokolovski commissioned a "bejewelled necklace" that was used as payment to an alleged hitman. That hitman is accused of helping facilitate the murder of a federal witness by providing identifying information to Wedding.
The case has already seen other Canadian accused granted bail under strict conditions. Last month, Toronto-area lawyer Deepak Paradkar, also charged in the probe, was released on bail with 24/7 house arrest. His wife and another relative are acting as his sureties. Paradkar is alleged to have advised Wedding on the witness murder and connected him with drug traffickers.
The outcome of Sokolovski's bail request and the decision on his sureties' anonymity will be closely watched, as it touches on issues of witness protection, transnational crime, and the public's right to scrutinize the justice system in a landmark case.
