A 23-year-old Royal Bank of Canada employee has been charged by the RCMP after allegedly accessing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s banking information, raising questions about privacy, cybersecurity, and what happens when an employee is fired for serious misconduct.
According to CBC News, Ibrahim El-Hakim, hired in 2022, allegedly accessed Carney and Justin Trudeau’s profiles on June 17, and admitted to the allegations during an internal interview with the bank’s security team. He was arrested on July 10 and later released under conditions, facing charges of fraud over $5,000, unauthorized use of a computer, identity theft, and trafficking in identity information.
RBC has since confirmed that El-Hakim is no longer employed with the bank.
“We worked closely with law enforcement to support their investigation,” said spokesperson Cheryl Brean.
The allegations — which have not been proven in court — are an example of conduct that would almost certainly lead to termination for cause, meaning the employee would not receive severance pay or notice of termination.
While most cases are far less dramatic, this story highlights how breaches of trust, dishonesty, or misuse of confidential information can be grounds for an employer to dismiss an employee without compensation.
In Canada, termination for cause — often called being fired for cause — is the most serious form of dismissal.
It means the...
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