A Toronto jeweller from the Greater Toronto Area accused of participating in a money laundering scheme for Ryan Wedding’s alleged drug trafficking organization has agreed to extradition to the United States for trial. Despite this decision, Rolan Sokolovski’s legal representative maintains his client’s innocence and plans to contest the charges leveled against him.
Sokolovski’s attorney, Scott K. Fenton, confirmed via email to CBC News that Sokolovski appeared in court in downtown Toronto earlier than expected and consented to extradition. Fenton emphasized that agreeing to extradition does not imply guilt or an acknowledgment of the strength of the case against Sokolovski.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Sokolovski acted as a financial facilitator for Wedding by transferring illicit funds and acquiring high-end items for the fugitive, including a rare $13 million US Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster. Sokolovski, a 38-year-old Lithuanian-born individual, was apprehended in Toronto in November as part of a coordinated operation by the FBI and RCMP targeting Wedding’s criminal network.
Court documents allege that Sokolovski, known by the aliases Sushi and Applepie, utilized cryptocurrency platforms and his business, Diamond Tsar, located in the Toronto area, to launder funds for Wedding’s illicit activities. The charges against Sokolovski pertain to conspiracy in drug trafficking and money laundering in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
Furthermore, Sokolovski is accused of creating a jewel-encrusted necklace for Atna Ohna, a Montreal-based alleged enforcer for Wedding’s organization, as a reward for his purported involvement in the assassination of an FBI informant. Fenton reiterated that Sokolovski is presumed innocent and intends to challenge the allegations in the California courts.
The final decision regarding Sokolovski’s extradition to U.S. authorities rests with the federal justice minister. Since 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice has indicted over 30 individuals linked to Wedding’s drug ring, which authorities assert trafficked large quantities of drugs across North America and was responsible for numerous homicides.
Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, was caught in Mexico early this year and transported to California. While Wedding remains in U.S. custody, his current location is not publicly disclosed in prison records.
Among the trio arrested in Ontario in connection with the investigation named “Operation Giant Slalom,” Sokolovski is the first to agree to extradition. Gursewak Singh Bal, a Canadian blogger facing U.S. charges related to the conspiracy, is scheduled for an extradition hearing in December. Singh Bal operated the website Dirty News, which U.S. authorities allege was utilized in planning the murder of a key FBI witness.
Deepak Paradkar, a well-known criminal lawyer accused of receiving illicit payments and luxury items within Wedding’s network, is contesting extradition. Paradkar, who denies any wrongdoing, previously sought bail, which was approved by Ontario’s highest court.
The U.S. prosecutor’s office has disclosed that Wedding is slated for two separate trials later this year on indictments from 2024 and 2025 during his fugitive status. The first trial is set to commence on October 27.