An AI scammer posing as Brad Pitt managed to con a heartbroken French woman into divorcing her husband and handing over nearly £700,000 under the pretense of needing money for cancer treatment.
Believing she was engaging in a romantic relationship with the Hollywood star, 53-year-old interior designer Anne fell victim to the elaborate scheme after receiving an Instagram message from an account impersonating Pitt’s mother in February 2023.
The next day, “Brad” himself slid into her DMs saying: “My mother has spoken a lot about you already.”
What followed was a year-long online affair, complete with daily texts, romantic poems, and AI-generated photos and videos of the actor.
“There are so few men who write you this kind of thing,” Anne told French media.
“I liked the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, it was always very well done.”
Anne, said to have been struggling in her marriage, was swept off her feet.
She divorced her husband, pocketed a £670,000 (€775,000) settlement, and started wiring cash to the scammer.
First, it was £7,566 for “customs fees” on luxury gifts.
Then came £50,500 for kidney cancer treatment, with fake doctors emailing her to say her beloved Brad was “fighting to survive”.
Fake Brad would also tell Anne that he could not access his money because of his ongoing divorce from Angelina Jolie.
“It cost me to do it, but I thought that I might be saving a man’s life,” Anne said, according to The Telegraph.
When warned by her daughter that she could be a victim of a scam, she said: “You’ll see when he’s here in person then you’ll say sorry.”
The penny finally dropped in summer 2024 when Anne saw photos of the real Brad Pitt with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon.
But even then, the scammer doubled down, sending fake “news flashes” claiming Pitt was secretly dating “a special person.”
And in a final cruel twist, someone pretending to be an FBI agent offered to “rescue” her from the scam — for another £4,200.
Now penniless and homeless, Anne has sold all her furniture, moved in with a friend, and launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover her legal fees.
After three suicide attempts, she’s been hospitalised in a clinic specialising severe depression, reports BFMTV.
Anne has filed a complaint and an investigation is currently underway.
This isn’t the first time scammers have used Pitt’s identity.
Last year, five people in Spain were arrested for swindling two women out of €325,000 using similar fake romances.
Brad’s warning on romance scams
This isn’t the first time scammers have exploited Pitt’s identity, as the actor previously issued a warning to his fans about fraudulent activities where impostors posed as him to swindle two women out of more than $350,000.
In a statement to People magazine in September 2024, a representative for the Oscar-winning actor emphasized the dangers of engaging with unsolicited online outreach, particularly from individuals posing as celebrities.
“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities, and this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence,” the rep said.
Pitt’s team urged fans to stay vigilant and remember that the actor does not have any personal social media accounts.
They also remind the public to be cautious when engaging online, especially with individuals who claim to be high-profile figures.
The warning came shortly after Spanish authorities arrested five suspects involved in the scam.
Spain’s Guardia Civil police said the criminals targeted women through an online fanpage dedicated to Pitt.
They convinced the victims they were in a romantic relationship with the actor, later persuading them to transfer large sums of money as investments in Pitt’s alleged projects.
One victim lost over $168,000, while another was defrauded of approximately $195,500.
Only $94,000 has been recovered so far.
Cops revealed that the scammers had meticulously studied the victims’ social media accounts, creating psychological profiles to exploit their vulnerabilities, which included emotional distress and loneliness.
The suspects, three of whom were arrested in November and two in July, face charges of fraud, money laundering, and forgery.
Authorities believe additional members of the criminal organisation remain under investigation.
You’re Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
