FILE PHOTO: A Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) sign is seen outside of a branch in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 26, 2016. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/ File Photo
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

By Nivedita Balu

TORONTO (Reuters) -Canadian federal police charged a former Royal Bank of Canada employee in Ottawa with allegedly accessing banking profiles of senior political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The accused, Ibrahim El-Hakim, was charged with fraud, unauthorized use of a computer, identity theft and trafficking in identity information, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Wednesday. RCMP opened an investigation in early July following a complaint from RBC, the country's biggest bank.

El-Hakim was allegedly using the bank's internal IT systems to access personal information without authorization and committed fraud by sharing the information, RCMP said.

El-Hakim, 23, was allegedly lured by a scheme on social media platform Telegram that paid him C$500 ($360) for each order to extend credit lines or other activities, according to La Presse, which first reported the news.

El-Hakim and his legal representative did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

An RBC spokesperson said El-Hakim was no longer employed at the bank.

"We can share that we independently identified unauthorized system access, took immediate action to engage authorities... We worked closely with law enforcement to support their investigation," the RBC spokesperson said.

"Since the investigation involves the Prime Minister of Canada, it has been assigned to the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team," RCMP said, declining to comment on whether El-Hakim was part of a criminal organization.

RCMP's investigation did not show that there was any threat to the prime minister's safety or to national security in this case, it said.

El-Hakim was arrested on July 10 and released on a promise to appear with conditions. Further charges may be laid, RCMP said.

Canada is preparing for an audit by Paris-based global financial crime watchdog Financial Action Task Force in November, which will include an assessment of the country's systems in place to reduce financial crime.

($1 = 1.3892 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Jamie Freed)