A 23-year-old former Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) employee, Ibrahim El-Hakim, has been charged with fraud, identity theft, unauthorized computer use, and trafficking identity information, police confirmed.
El-Hakim allegedly accessed the banking profiles of high-profile individuals, including former Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Justin Trudeau. The charges stem from an investigation after RBC detected unauthorized system access and promptly collaborated with law enforcement.
El-Hakim worked at an RBC branch near Parliament Hill in Ottawa after joining the bank in 2022. Police allege he was influenced by an individual on Telegram, linked to organized crime, who paid him approximately C$5,000 to create fake bank profiles and obtain unauthorized lines of credit.
Video evidence reportedly shows El-Hakim confessing during an internal security interview at RBC. He was arrested on July 10 but released under conditions, with his next court appearance scheduled for October 1 in Ottawa.
Authorities assure the public that there was no threat to national security or the safety of the former Prime Ministers. The case highlights ongoing concerns about cybersecurity and insider threats within financial institutions.
