A 45-year-old Ottawa man has been charge in connection with what police allege was the theft of thousands of mobile telephones worth more than $7 million.
Rabih Kassis was charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, uttering threats of death or bodily harm, harassing by repeated telecommunications and extortion, the Ottawa Police Service said in a release on Oct. 22.
Police said the investigation examined alleged thefts and fraudulent activity between June 2022 and September 2025, adding that the investigation was initiated by a complaint from Bell Canada and was conducted in co-operation with that company.
Investigators allege that Kassis repeatedly threatened, harassed and extorted his sister, who was employed by Bell Canada, to obtain mobile phones from the company through fraudulent means. The phones were subsequently sold, the release said.
The sister, who was not identified, has since passed away, Ottawa police said.
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