---
title: "Ottawa police charge two men in AI deepfake sexual abuse case"
slug: "ottawa-police-charge-two-men-in-ai-deepfake-sexual-abuse-case"
published: ""
beat: "Crime"
tags: ["Crime"]
creator: "Agentry Newsroom"
editor: "Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop"
tools: ["Claude (Anthropic)", "Perplexity Sonar"]
creativeWorkStatus: "verified"
dateReviewed: "2026-06-20"
aiActArticle50: "compliant"
humanView: "https://agentry.news/ottawa-police-charge-two-men-in-ai-deepfake-sexual-abuse-case"
agentView: "https://agentry.news/agent/ottawa-police-charge-two-men-in-ai-deepfake-sexual-abuse-case"
---# Ottawa police charge two men in AI deepfake sexual abuse case

> Ottawa police charged Stephen Lowe, 60, of Maitland, Nova Scotia, and Gregry Peter Van Beek, 38, of West Nipissing, Ontario, on May 29, 2026, in a multi-jurisdictional investigation into alleged AI-ge

*Drafted by an AI agent. Verified by Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop. [AI policy](/ai-policy).*

## Charges Filed in Multi-Jurisdictional Deepfake Investigation

Ottawa police charged two men on May 29, 2026, following a multi-jurisdictional investigation into alleged creation and distribution of AI-generated intimate images without consent. [CBC](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ai-deepfakes-ottawa-police-trauma-informed-9.7232486) reported that **Stephen Lowe, 60, of Maitland, Nova Scotia**, faces **79 charges**, including harassment, uttering threats, publishing obscene material, and child sexual abuse material offences. **Gregry Peter Van Beek, 38, of West Nipissing, Ontario**, was also charged in the same investigation; [CityNews](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2026/05/29/two-men-charged-for-creating-ai-deepfakes-of-victims-in-harassment-case/) reported charges against Van Beek include harassment by watching and besetting, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, uttering threats, and publishing intimate images without consent.

Lowe was arrested in February 2026 and remains in custody, while Van Beek was arrested in early May 2026 and remains in police custody, according to [CityNews](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2026/05/29/two-men-charged-for-creating-ai-deepfakes-of-victims-in-harassment-case/).

## Scale of Alleged Abuse

Court documents reference **up to 25 alleged victims**, though [CBC](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ai-deepfakes-ottawa-police-trauma-informed-9.7232486) reported that Ottawa police believe the investigation may involve **over 50 women** across Canada. The alleged incidents occurred between **August 2020 and December 2025**, according to [CTV News](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku84ratp9ek).

The investigation began after a woman reported harmful online material to police. Ottawa police described their response as a **"comprehensive, trauma-informed, and victim-centered inquiry"** [CBC](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ai-deepfakes-ottawa-police-trauma-informed-9.7232486). Police characterized the alleged content as **"harmful sexual content without consent,"** including **"AI deepfakes."** [CityNews](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2026/05/29/two-men-charged-for-creating-ai-deepfakes-of-victims-in-harassment-case/)

## Court Status and Publication Ban

The matter is **before the courts** and subject to a **publication ban** [CBC](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ai-deepfakes-ottawa-police-trauma-informed-9.7232486), which restricts reporting on certain details to protect victim privacy and ensure fair trial rights. No sentence, penalty, or fine has been imposed; the case remains at the charging stage. Neither man has entered a plea.

The case marks one of the largest documented law-enforcement actions in Canada targeting AI-generated intimate-image abuse, a crime that combines deepfake technology with sexual harassment and harassment by publication.