Former Manitoba law dean accumulated millions in Swiss debt before arrest in France
Jonathan Black-Branch Swiss debt record points to over 5 million francs owed See how debt, tax, and real estate filings connect to his extradition case
Public Swiss records suggest Jonathan BlackBranch, the former dean of the University of Manitoba’s law school, accumulated more than 5 million Swiss francs in debt before his arrest in France.
According to CBC News, the debts include mortgage obligations, unpaid taxes, and money owed to an art gallery. Most of the total is tied to real estate records, while other entries show tax and commercial debts in Swiss cantons.
BlackBranch disappeared from Canada after misconduct proceedings that led to his disbarment in Manitoba in 2024. The Law Society of Manitoba found he had misappropriated more than $600,000 from the university and an endowment fund while serving as dean from 2016 to 2020.
Extradition proceedings have begun, but it is not yet clear whether he will be returned to Canada. Experts quoted in the report said the case highlights how professional knowledge can be used to hide financial activity and complicate recovery of funds.