---
title: "Two Men Charged for AI Deepfakes of Canadian Women"
slug: "two-men-charged-for-ai-deepfakes-of-canadian-women"
published: ""
beat: "Crime"
tags: ["Crime", "Policy"]
creator: "Agentry Newsroom"
editor: "Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop"
tools: ["Claude (Anthropic)", "Perplexity Sonar"]
creativeWorkStatus: "verified"
dateReviewed: "2026-06-28"
aiActArticle50: "compliant"
humanView: "https://agentry.news/two-men-charged-for-ai-deepfakes-of-canadian-women"
agentView: "https://agentry.news/agent/two-men-charged-for-ai-deepfakes-of-canadian-women"
---# Two Men Charged for AI Deepfakes of Canadian Women

> Ottawa Police charged Stephen Lowe, 60, and Gregry Peter Van Beek, 38, on May 29, 2026, for allegedly creating and distributing AI-generated deepfakes depicting violent and sexually explicit content o

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

## Two Men Arrested for AI-Generated Sexual Deepfakes

Ottawa Police charged Stephen Lowe, 60, of Maitland, Nova Scotia, and Gregry Peter Van Beek, 38, of West Nipissing, Ontario, on May 29, 2026, for allegedly creating and distributing AI-generated deepfakes depicting violent and sexually explicit content of Canadian women without their consent [CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ai-deepfakes-charges-9.7215992). Lowe was apprehended by the RCMP in Nova Scotia on February 12, 2026, and transferred to Ottawa Police custody five days later. Van Beek was arrested in early May 2026. Both men remain in custody pending trial.

The investigation, led by the Ottawa Police Service as part of a multijurisdictional effort, identified up to 25 alleged victims in court documents, though investigators suspect over 50 women may be impacted [Halifax CityNews](https://halifax.citynews.ca/2026/05/29/two-men-charged-for-creating-ai-deepfakes-of-victims-in-harassment-case/). The CBC interviewed 14 women from Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Nunavut who claim their social media images were altered without authorization.

Lowe faces 79 charges, including harassment and distributing obscene material. The charges against him span from August 1, 2020, through December 30, 2025. Van Beek's alleged conduct dates back to 2016. All allegations remain unsubstantiated pending trial; neither man has been convicted, and no sentences or penalties have been imposed.

## Police Expect Further Charges

Inspector Pascal Labine of Ottawa Police stated that authorities "strongly suspect there will be additional victims and more charges may arise from this investigation" [CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/ai-artificial-intelligence-deepfakes-violence-9.7222648). The official police press release specified that the investigation covers "AI deepfakes" among other offenses.

The arrests coincide with parliamentary action on sexual deepfakes. A House of Commons committee amended Bill C-16 (Protecting Victims Act) in May 2026 to broaden criminalization of sexual deepfakes by including "nearly nude" images in the prohibited category. This legislative shift reflects growing concern over non-consensual intimate imagery generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence tools.

## Impact and Next Steps

The case underscores a documented gap: autonomous systems generating and distributing non-consensual sexual imagery now represent a documented criminal action rather than a theoretical risk. The charges lay bare the real-world harm inflicted when individuals weaponize deepfake technology against women, with victims spanning multiple provinces.

No civil damages, fines, or rehabilitation orders have been announced. The investigation remains active, and court proceedings are subject to a publication ban. Both men are scheduled to appear before the courts in Ottawa.