Disgraced former law dean arrested, facing extradition to Canada: report

Jonathan Black-Branch, a former law dean at the University of Manitoba, has been arrested in Europe on fraud charges and is awaiting extradition to Canada, reports say. According to University of Manitoba officials, Black-Branch failed to defend himself in a lawsuit filed by the university and faced disbarment proceedings. In May 2025, he was ordered to repay over $682,000 in misspent expense funds.

The university initiated the lawsuit in 2024, four years after Black-Branch's five-year contract was terminated. An internal investigation revealed he had used public funds on lavish meals and expensive courses, among other extravagances. Black-Branch was disbarred twice, once in the United Kingdom and once by the Law Society of Manitoba, due to his financial misconduct.