A federal Crown prosecutor informed an Ontario court that Rolan Sokolovski played a significant role as the “third in command” in Ryan Wedding’s suspected transnational criminal operation. This revelation marks the first time Sokolovski, a Toronto jeweler apprehended in November, has been linked to such a high-ranking position within the drug-trafficking network.
During a court session in Toronto on Wednesday, Sokolovski’s legal representatives contended that he would not present a risk of fleeing if granted bail. The charges against him involve extradition to California for federal conspiracy allegations related to money laundering and cocaine distribution. Previously, U.S. prosecutors accused Sokolovski of serving as a key money launderer and the primary financial facilitator for Wedding’s purported drug-trafficking syndicate, which reportedly yielded $1 billion in annual profits.
At the bail hearing on Wednesday afternoon, Heather Graham, a lawyer from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Canada, described the 37-year-old as the “right-hand man” to Andrew Clark, Wedding’s second-in-command. Clark, also known as “Dictator,” was apprehended in Mexico in 2024. According to U.S. prosecutors, Clark was directly under Wedding in the criminal hierarchy.
Graham emphasized to Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden that Sokolovski oversaw the financial activities of the criminal group, stating, “He was the money mover.” The defense team, led by lawyer Scott Fenton, argued that the allegations against Sokolovski lack concrete evidence and asserted that he is not a flight risk.
The bail decision for Sokolovski is scheduled for Feb. 20. He is among eight Canadians detained in November in connection with an investigation targeting Ryan Wedding, a former Team Canada snowboarder who is now allegedly managing a billion-dollar drug trafficking network.
The U.S. Department of Justice has raised concerns regarding Sokolovski’s potential access to significant assets, including cryptocurrency, and has labeled him a flight risk and a danger to the public. Sokolovski’s legal team has proposed strict bail conditions, including residing with appointed supervisors under house arrest with constant GPS monitoring, surrendering his passport, staying in Ontario, and refraining from communicating with co-accused individuals.
Wedding, a former Olympian representing Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, was placed on the FBI’s most-wanted list last year. His organization is accused of smuggling large quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Canada through Mexico and the U.S., as well as orchestrating hits on perceived threats to the group’s operations.