Former U of M law dean arrested in Europe as part of extradition request: police
A former law dean at the University of Manitoba has been arrested in France, Winnipeg police confirmed on Wednesday.
The police service confirmed to Global News that Jonathan Black-Branch had been arrested “as a result of an extradition request” and that the matter was currently before the French court system.
“We are not in a position to provide further information regarding the extradition proceeding while the matter remains before the courts,” said Const. Stephen Spencer in an email. “Further information will be provided should the extradition application be successful and Black-Branch be returned to Winnipeg.
Spencer added that there is a Canada-wide arrest warrant in place for Black-Branch which will remain in effect until he is returned to Winnipeg and arrested by police.
Black-Branch was the dean of law at the University of Manitoba from 2016 to 2020.
The Discipline Committee of the Law Society of Manitoba reported in December 2023 that he misappropriated approximately $600,000 from the university and/or the Marcel A. Desautels Centre for Private Enterprise and the Law. It allegedly occurred between April 20, 2017, and February 2020.
An affidavit presented to the committee indicated the former dean spent $518,000 on activities listed as professional development, with $472,282 charged to the Desautels Endowment, and $46,441 to operating funds. Among the activities were attending non-degree programs at Harvard and Yale Universities while he was under contract at the university.
It noted professional development expenses charged to the university by all other Faculty of Law personnel in the same period was $18,928.
Black-Branch was also found to have expensed about $75,000 to the International Society of Law and Nuclear Disarmament, of which he served as president of its board of trustees at the time.
Months after the hearing, in February 2024, the Law Society of Manitoba disbarred Black-Branch in the province. He was also ordered to pay $36,000 in costs to the society.
The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service, the board for England and Wales, also disbarred Black Branch in February 2025 after finding all five charges against him had been proven. Those charges included not disclosing the proceedings in Manitoba to the United Kingdom regulator. He did not appear nor was he represented at the hearing, the written decision said.
