French Woman Defrauded After Scammer Impersonates Brad Pitt with AI-Generated Hospital Images

A 53-year-old French woman has become the victim of an elaborate online scam, losing over $1 million to a fraudster posing as Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. 

The incident, which came to light in 2024, began over a year earlier in February 2023, when the victim, identified only as Anne, received a Facebook message purportedly from Pitt's mother. 

This initial interaction from the Pitt scam snowballed into a sophisticated scheme that exploited her trust and left her financially and emotionally devastated. 

Fraud Fueled by AI-Generated Content 

Images that convinced Anne she was in a relationship with a cancer-ridden Brad Pitt

 

The scammer, impersonating Pitt, used AI-generated videos and images to create a false sense of authenticity. 

Communicating exclusively through text messages, the fraudster managed to convince Anne of a romantic connection, eventually breaking down her skepticism with flirtations and emotional manipulation. 

The scheme escalated as Anne was asked to pay 9,000 euros (£7,566) for customs fees on supposed gifts. 

This was followed by increasingly dramatic requests, including claims that the impersonator was battling kidney cancer and unable to access personal funds for cancer treatment due to a contentious divorce from Angelina Jolie. 

To sustain the ruse, the Brad Pitt impersonator even sent AI-generated images of "Pitt" in a hospital bed, portraying a narrative of desperation. 

The emotional manipulation culminated in a fabricated marriage proposal, further cementing Anne’s belief in the relationship. 

Anne, who had recently received an $800,000 divorce settlement from a millionaire husband, transferred a total of 830,000 euros (£697,000) to the fraudster before discovering the truth. 

The realization came when she saw the real Brad Pitt publicly with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, and recognized the deception. 

In 2024, Anne filed a formal complaint with local authorities, prompting an investigation into the scam. However, the ordeal has left her hospitalized, grappling with severe depression stemming from the betrayal and financial loss. 

Broader Implications of Celebrity Scams 

Anne and her millionare ex husband

 

This case is part of a growing trend in which scammers exploit celebrity identities for financial gain. 

It is also not the first time Brad Pitt’s identity has been exploited for scams. 

In September 2024, five individuals in Spain were arrested for extorting over $330,000 from two women by pretending to be the actor. 

While the internet has responded with mixed reactions to Anne’s case—ranging from sympathy to disbelief—Anne’s story highlights the cruel reality of romance scams. 

Many have called for greater awareness and protection for vulnerable individuals targeted by such schemes. 

As Jay Kennedy, an online commenter, put it: “It’s sad how lonely and lost older people get, to where they are so delusional and do this.”