Former University of Manitoba law dean arrested in Europe on fraud charge Jonathan Black-Branch, a former University of Manitoba law dean, was arrested in Europe after a Canada-wide warrant was issued for fraud over $5,000. The extradition process is ongoing. Jonathan Black-Branch, former dean of the University of Manitoba law faculty, has been arrested in Europe, Winnipeg police have confirmed. The arrest follows a Canada-wide warrant for fraud over $5,000 issued on March 30, and a police spokesperson said it came as a result of an extradition request. Cst. Stephen Spencer of the Winnipeg Police Service said the extradition process is ongoing in an emailed statement Tuesday. He confirmed the arrest but did not provide further details. Police have not said where exactly in Europe Black-Branch was taken into custody.Law Dean Accused of Misappropriating FundsBlack-Branch served as law dean at the University of Manitoba from 2016 to 2020. His role was originally intended as a five-year term. An internal investigation, prompted by a complaint, concluded that more than $600,000 in university funds had been misappropriated during that period. The misappropriated funds included expenditures on university programs, membership fees, accommodations and meals.Court records indicate over $500,000 was spent on professional development programs between December 2017 and July 2019 at institutions including Harvard University and the University of Cambridge. Black-Branch's employment was terminated in July 2020. At some point after that, he left the country. Court documents filed in 2024 by legal counsel for the University of Manitoba listed his last known address as Oxford, England.An affidavit filed that year suggested he may have been residing in Switzerland. The University of Manitoba sued Black-Branch in the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba in August 2024 to recoup the funds. It was granted default judgment in May 2025 for $679,269.98 plus legal costs, bearing interest at three per cent per year. A spokesperson for the university said in April that efforts to recover the funds are ongoing.University Responds, Disbarment ProceedingsThe university has since put additional measures in place to prevent fraud and financial irregularities, including a new policy and a course on financial stewardship and ethical conduct. Black-Branch was previously disbarred by the Law Society of Manitoba in February 2024. He was found guilty of professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a lawyer. The 28-page decision issued by the Law Society's discipline panel followed a hearing that began in fall 2023, which Black-Branch did not attend.The decision notes he had sought multiple adjournments on medical grounds. Black-Branch was also disbarred by the Bar Standards Board for England and Wales in February after being found guilty on five charges of professional misconduct. CTV News has reached out to the Winnipeg Police Service, the University of Manitoba and the RCMP for more information. This is a developing story.