Desjardins data breach: Laval police arrest 3 suspects, fourth one being sought

Montreal-area police have arrested three people in connection with a major data theft and $8.9-million fraud involving the co-operative financial group Desjardins.

Police in Laval, Que., say one of the suspects was caught with a list of personal data for 1.6 million Quebecers.

The arrests are tied to a 2019 data theft that targeted more than 9.7 million Desjardins clients in Canada and internationally, including almost seven million Quebecers.

Police say the three suspects used the stolen data to commit fraud totalling $8.9 million between September 2018 and January 2019.

Two of them, aged 33 and 36, are scheduled to appear in court today, while a court date for the third has not been set.

A Caisse populaire Desjardins sign is seen in Montreal on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

They face charges of fraud over $5,000, trafficking in identity information, possession of identity information, and identity theft.

Police say they are searching for a fourth person in connection with the fraud and data theft.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2024.