Woman Loses $800k To Scammer Using AI-Generated Brad Pitt Profile
A French woman, deeply in love with a fake, AI-generated Brad Pitt, was duped out of €830,000 after the impersonator convinced her that he needed the money for cancer treatment amid his divorce from Angelina Jolie.
Anne, a 53-year-old interior designer, was so taken by the supposed Hollywood heartthrob that she divorced her husband and transferred nearly all of her €775,000 settlement to the fraudsters. She believed she was in a real relationship with the actor and even expected marriage.
Her world began to unravel when she saw photos of the real Brad Pitt with his new girlfriend, which made her question everything. Now, Anne has filed a legal complaint for fraud and launched an online crowdfunding campaign to cover her mounting legal expenses.
Anne’s nightmare began in February 2023, when she created an Instagram account to share pictures from her skiing holiday in the Alps. A woman claiming to be Jane Etta Pitt—the real name of Brad Pitt’s mother—reached out to her in English, writing: “My son needs a woman like you.” The following day, the “son” himself messaged Anne, also in English, asking for more details about her.
Anne recalled her initial reaction: “We’re talking about Brad Pitt here and I was stunned. At first, I thought it was fake, but I didn’t really understand what was happening to me.” Despite her doubts, the two began messaging regularly, and their relationship quickly blossomed into an online romance. “After that, we got in touch every day and became buddies,” Anne added.
AI-generated Brad Pitt images
Although Anne was new to social media, she eventually asked for proof of the man’s identity. In response, she received pictures of Brad Pitt’s supposed passport, messages from people claiming to be close to the actor, and a series of AI-generated photos and videos. “I thought he had taken these photos for me,” Anne said.
The Escalation of the Scam
Over the next 18 months, the pair’s communication intensified. The fake Brad Pitt sent Anne poems and heartfelt messages, making declarations of love that Anne found irresistible. “There are so few men who write to you like that. I loved the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women and it was always very well put together,” Anne said in an interview with Sept à huit, a French documentary show.
Anne, who had divorced her husband and received a €775,000 settlement, grew more and more attached to the scammer, particularly since the fake Brad Pitt seemed genuinely interested in her career—something she felt her ex-husband had never done. Eventually, the fake Brad proposed marriage to Anne, and she was on the verge of accepting.
Then, he claimed he had sent her luxury gifts, but said that she would need to pay €9,000 in customs duties to receive them, explaining that his bank accounts were frozen due to his ongoing legal battle with Angelina Jolie.
But the scam took a darker turn when the fake Brad Pitt began telling Anne that he was in hospital, battling kidney cancer. He asked her for €60,000 to pay for his treatment. Despite having doubts, Anne transferred the money after receiving an email from the fake star’s “doctor” claiming Brad’s health was in serious decline. “It cost me to do it, but I thought that I might be saving a man’s life,” Anne said.
Doubts and Escalating Deception
Despite her mounting doubts, Anne’s friends and family were unable to convince her that she was being scammed. Her daughter warned her, but Anne remained steadfast in her belief that her “true love” would soon be by her side. “You’ll see when he’s here in person, then you’ll say sorry,” she retorted.
However, in the summer of 2024, when real-life Brad Pitt was spotted with his new partner, Inès de Ramon, the truth began to hit home. Even then, the scammers attempted to reassure Anne by sending a fake news flash dismissing reports of Brad’s new relationship, claiming he was seeing a “very special person.”
The deception didn’t end there. A person pretending to be an FBI agent contacted Anne, offering to get her out of the scam for €5,000. She sent the money, which left her even closer to financial ruin. By this point, Anne had sold all her furniture and moved in with a friend. Desperate for help, she set up an online fundraising page to cover her legal costs.
The Aftermath and Struggles
The emotional toll of the scam was devastating. After attempting suicide three times, Anne was admitted to a clinic specializing in depression, according to French news outlet TF1. She is now seeking justice for the fraud, which has left her financially destitute and emotionally shattered.
This case is not unique. In September of the previous year, five individuals were arrested in Spain for defrauding two vulnerable women out of €325,000 by pretending to be Brad Pitt. The perpetrators used similar tactics, establishing fake online relationships with women in distress.
Anne’s story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online scams and the emotional vulnerability that can be exploited by criminals, especially when they prey on people’s deepest desires for connection and love.
Although Anne was new to social media, she eventually asked for proof of the man’s identity. In response, she received pictures of Brad Pitt’s supposed passport, messages from people claiming to be close to the actor, and a series of AI-generated photos and videos. “I thought he had taken these photos for me,” Anne said.
The Escalation of the Scam
Over the next 18 months, the pair’s communication intensified. The fake Brad Pitt sent Anne poems and heartfelt messages, making declarations of love that Anne found irresistible. “There are so few men who write to you like that. I loved the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women and it was always very well put together,” Anne said in an interview with Sept à huit, a French documentary show.
Anne, who had divorced her husband and received a €775,000 settlement, grew more and more attached to the scammer, particularly since the fake Brad Pitt seemed genuinely interested in her career—something she felt her ex-husband had never done. Eventually, the fake Brad proposed marriage to Anne, and she was on the verge of accepting.
Then, he claimed he had sent her luxury gifts, but said that she would need to pay €9,000 in customs duties to receive them, explaining that his bank accounts were frozen due to his ongoing legal battle with Angelina Jolie.
But the scam took a darker turn when the fake Brad Pitt began telling Anne that he was in hospital, battling kidney cancer. He asked her for €60,000 to pay for his treatment. Despite having doubts, Anne transferred the money after receiving an email from the fake star’s “doctor” claiming Brad’s health was in serious decline. “It cost me to do it, but I thought that I might be saving a man’s life,” Anne said.
Despite her mounting doubts, Anne’s friends and family were unable to convince her that she was being scammed. Her daughter warned her, but Anne remained steadfast in her belief that her “true love” would soon be by her side. “You’ll see when he’s here in person, then you’ll say sorry,” she retorted.
However, in the summer of 2024, when real-life Brad Pitt was spotted with his new partner, Inès de Ramon, the truth began to hit home. Even then, the scammers attempted to reassure Anne by sending a fake news flash dismissing reports of Brad’s new relationship, claiming he was seeing a “very special person.”
The deception didn’t end there. A person pretending to be an FBI agent contacted Anne, offering to get her out of the scam for €5,000. She sent the money, which left her even closer to financial ruin. By this point, Anne had sold all her furniture and moved in with a friend. Desperate for help, she set up an online fundraising page to cover her legal costs.
The Aftermath and Struggles
The emotional toll of the scam was devastating. After attempting suicide three times, Anne was admitted to a clinic specializing in depression, according to French news outlet TF1. She is now seeking justice for the fraud, which has left her financially destitute and emotionally shattered.
This case is not unique. In September of the previous year, five individuals were arrested in Spain for defrauding two vulnerable women out of €325,000 by pretending to be Brad Pitt. The perpetrators used similar tactics, establishing fake online relationships with women in distress.
Anne’s story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online scams and the emotional vulnerability that can be exploited by criminals, especially when they prey on people’s deepest desires for connection and love.
