The financial records of an Ontario man accused of laundering funds for an international drug smuggling operation came under scrutiny in a Toronto courtroom on Monday as he made his bid for release ahead of his extradition hearing.
Prosecutors questioned Rolan Sokolovski on his tax reports and the financial statements of his jewelry business, Diamond Tsar, as well as the money he earned playing poker, which he said was enough to sustain his lifestyle for the better part of a decade.
Sokolovski, a dual Lithuanian-Canadian citizen, said he made more than $100,000 a year from poker tournaments and cash games between 2013 and 2020, and got into cryptocurrency about seven years ago, profiting up to US$200,000 in some trades.
None of that was declared to the Canada Revenue Agency, Sokolovski said, adding he believed earnings from gambling didn’t have to be reported for tax purposes. He told the court he viewed trading cryptocurrency as another form of gambling.
Winnings from gambling are generally treated as a windfall and not taxable in Canada unless they can be considered income from a job or a business. Disposing of cryptocurrency by selling, trading or spending it can lead to gains or losses that must be reported on a tax return.
Sokolovski was arrested last fall along with several other Canadians accused of working with former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, an alleged drug kingpin listed as one of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted.
U.S. authorities allege Sokolovski, who is 37, oversaw the organization’s books, obtained luxury goods for Wedding and made a “bejewelled necklace” as payment for a murder.
The court is also expected to hear this week from the people proposing to supervise Sokolovski if he is released on bail.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Bawden ruled Monday to prohibit the publication of any information that could identify the potential sureties, finding it necessary to reduce their risk of physical harm or death.
Last week, Sokolovski’s lawyers asked the court to protect the identity of the sureties, arguing their safety could otherwise be at risk. Crown prosecutors argued only the sureties’ addresses should be kept from the public.
Several days have been set aside for the bail hearing.
Prosecutors are opposing Sokolovski’s release, arguing he should be detained to protect the public, to maintain confidence in the justice system and because he poses a flight risk.
