Juan Pablo Serrano, a fugitive wanted since June 2024 in connection with a significant Desjardins data breach case, was apprehended in Spain. The Quebec provincial police disclosed in a news release on Tuesday that Serrano was arrested on the evening of November 6, 2025, as part of a collaborative effort involving Spanish authorities, provincial police, and Interpol.
Serrano, one of the most sought-after fugitives in Quebec, faces charges related to identity theft, fraud exceeding $5,000, and trafficking in identity information. He is currently detained in Spain and awaits extradition to Canada.
The investigation, known as Project Portier, was initiated following the unauthorized sharing of personal information belonging to millions of Desjardins Group members with external parties. To track down Serrano overseas, Interpol issued a red notice, prompting law enforcement agencies globally to locate and apprehend him.
In a related development, Sébastien Boulanger-Dorval, who allegedly collaborated with Serrano by purchasing and misusing Desjardins members’ data, was arrested in June 2024 and charged with fraud, identity theft, and the illicit sale of personal information.
Desjardins, a Quebec-based credit union, experienced the data breach in 2019, affecting around 9.7 million individuals and businesses. The authorities only became aware of the breach in December 2018. The successful operation to arrest Serrano was attributed to the combined efforts of national and international partners, including the U.S. Secret Service Ottawa Field Office and the Madrid Resident Office, as highlighted by the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) on Tuesday.
Desjardins expressed satisfaction with the arrest in a statement to CBC News, emphasizing its ongoing collaboration with law enforcement agencies to safeguard its members and clients from identity-related risks.