Disbarred former Manitoba law dean loses extradition fight in French Appeal Court

By Staff The Canadian Press

Posted November 6, 2026 10:22 am

Updated November 6, 2026 10:24 am

1 min read

0:51 Former U of M law dean arrested in Europe as part of extradition request: police

A court in France has ruled in favour of extraditing a former law dean of the University of Manitoba, who was arrested in the country on allegations he mismanaged hundreds of thousands of dollars in Canada.

A document from the Versailles Court of Appeal says the Indictment Division has granted Canada’s request to extradite Jonathan Black-Branch.

No date was given for when he is to be transferred back to Canada.

Black-Branch was arrested in April in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, after a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for fraud over $5,000.

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He was in court last month opposing his extradition.

An internal investigation by the University of Manitoba says Black-Branch misused and mismanaged more than $600,000 of the school’s funds for personal bills, pricey meals at a members-only club and personal education at Ivy League schools.

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Black-Branch was disbarred by the Law Society of Manitoba in 2024 following the investigation.

The university asked police in Winnipeg to investigate after the law society’s decision. It also sued Black-Branch for breaching terms of his employment agreement.

In May 2025, Manitoba Court of King’s Bench ordered Black-Branch to repay the school more than $682,000 plus interest. The university has said it’s pursuing all available collection options to recoup the money.

Black-Branch was hired as the Winnipeg university’s law dean in 2016 but suddenly left the post in 2020 and moved to Europe. Court documents relating to the lawsuit said he was believed to be living in Switzerland.

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