A Toronto-area man accused of providing financial support to former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding will remain in custody. Rolan Sokolovski's application for bail review was denied by an Ontario appeals court judge in a ruling published Wednesday.
Background of the Case
Sokolovski, a 38-year-old jeweller and former professional poker player from Maple, has been detained since his arrest on November 18, 2025. He filed an appeal in March, citing a recent arthritis diagnosis and claiming legal errors by the judge who initially denied him bail.
Judge Rejects Bail Review Arguments
Justice Lois Roberts wrote that while the fresh evidence regarding his health was not available at the time of the initial application, it would not have changed the outcome. "I do not accept the submission that the applicant's condition will lessen the risk of flight. While this condition is likely painful, there is no evidence that it is debilitating or requires treatment that prevents flight," Roberts stated.
The judge also dismissed Sokolovski's claims that the court erred in concluding he intentionally hid his finances from his proposed sureties, that his lifestyle could not be explained by his reported income, and that his sureties were unreliable due to lack of financial knowledge.
"I reject the applicant's submissions that it was not a fair interpretation of the evidence that the applicant was hiding his finances and that it was an error for the application judge to conclude that the applicant's lifestyle could not be explained by the evidence," the ruling said.
Previous Bail Denial
Following a three-day hearing, Sokolovski was denied bail on February 23 after the court determined that the risk of him absconding, either by leaving Canada or going underground, was too great. The earlier ruling noted that the prosecution had established a strong case for extradition and that the allegations were extremely serious, involving international drug trafficking and homicide.
Facing Extradition to California
Sokolovski is facing extradition to California, where he is accused of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to export cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. U.S. prosecutors allege that Sokolovski played a key role in the drug trafficking ring led by Wedding, laundering hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, including cryptocurrency and luxury goods, through his jewelry business.
Wedding was taken into U.S. custody earlier this year after a lengthy manhunt. To date, 36 individuals have been arrested and indicted in connection with Wedding's alleged drug empire.
