France to decide next month on extradition of ex-Manitoba law dean in fraud case

A former law dean at the University of Manitoba wanted on a fraud charge is expected to learn next month if he will be extradited from France.

A court document says Jonathan Black-Branch was in the Investigating Chamber of the Versailles Court of Appeal today opposing his extradition.

The court reserved its decision to Nov. 6.

Black-Branch was arrested in a municipality west of Paris in April, after a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for fraud over $5,000.

The disbarred lawyer is accused of misusing more than $600,000 from the university to pay his bills, buy pricey meals at a members-only club and spend on his education at Ivy League schools.

Black-Branch was hired as the Winnipeg university’s law dean in 2016 but suddenly left the post in 2020 and moved to Europe.