The Ottawa Police Service says a 45-year-old man is facing charges in connection with the alleged theft of millions of dollars worth of cellphones over several years. The investigation by the Ottawa Police Service Financial Crimes Unit was conducted with cooperation from Bell Canada, police said in a news release. The alleged incidents took place between June 2022 and September 2025 and involved a man and his sister, the latter of whom was employed by Bell, according to police. “Investigators allege that the accused repeatedly threatened, harassed and extorted his sister, who was employed by Bell Canada at the time, to obtain mobile phones from the company through fraudulent means. The phones were then provided to the accused and subsequently sold,” Ottawa police said. Police say the total losses exceeded $7 million. On Thursday, police said Rabih Kassis, 45, of Ottawa, has been charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, utter threats of death or bodily harm, harassment by repeated communication, and extortion. The sister has since died, police said. No other information was provided. A spokesperson for Bell declined to comment, as the case is now before the courts. CTV News Ottawa is owned by Bell Media, which is a division of BCE.
