By Canadian Press

Four more arrests, including main suspect, in fraud, data theft at Desjardins

Jun 13, 2024 | 10:23 AM

MONTREAL — Quebec provincial police have arrested a man they say was the principle architect of a major data theft and multimillion-dollar fraud involving the co-operative financial group Desjardins.

Police told reporters today that Sébastien Boulanger-Dorval, 42, worked in the marketing department at the financial institution until 2019, when the data belonging to more than 9.7 million people, including about seven million Quebecers, was stolen.

A news release says police arrested three other people allegedly connected to the data theft and fraud: Jean-Loup Masse-Leullier, 32, François Baillargeon-Bouchard, 35, and Laurence Bernier, 29.

Provincial police say the suspects face charges including fraud, identity theft, and trafficking in identity information, adding that arrest warrants have been issued for four other people allegedly involved in the crimes at Desjardins.

On Wednesday, police in Laval, Que., said they had arrested three people connected to the case.

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Laval police said the three suspects — Ayoub Kourdal, 36; Imad Jbara, 33; and an unnamed third person — used the stolen data to commit fraud totalling $8.9 million between September 2018 and January 2019.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press