A French woman, identified only as Anne, has lost a staggering sum of over €800,000 (approximately $850,000 USD) after being convinced she was in a long-term, intimate relationship with Hollywood star Brad Pitt—a relationship fabricated entirely by a sophisticated team of online scammers using Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated imagery.
The elaborate deception began in February 2023 when Anne, a 53-year-old interior decorator, was contacted on social media. The initial message came from an account posing as Brad Pitt’s mother, Jane Etta Pitt, who reportedly claimed her son “needed someone like [Anne].” Shortly after, the scammer, posing as the actor himself, began a relentless pursuit, exchanging daily affectionate messages, love poems, and declarations of a future together.
Anne, who was going through a divorce at the time, was quickly drawn in. “I was in love with the man I was chatting to,” she told a French broadcaster. “He knew how to speak to a woman.”
Crucially, the scammer leveraged AI-generated images and videos to bolster the fantasy. These manipulated visuals, which included seemingly candid “selfies” and personalized messages, were sophisticated enough to convince Anne that she was communicating directly with the A-list actor. The scammer always refused phone calls, claiming to be protective of his privacy.
The emotional manipulation escalated into financial extortion. After Anne had received a substantial settlement from her divorce, the scammer moved in for the life savings.
The “Brad Pitt” persona claimed he was undergoing treatment for kidney cancer and desperately needed a loan. He fabricated a story that his multi-million dollar bank accounts were frozen due to his ongoing divorce proceedings with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, leaving him with no access to his fortune.
To convince her, the scammer sent Anne further AI-generated photos, this time purporting to show the actor lying in a hospital bed. Believing she was helping her future husband survive a life-threatening illness, Anne transferred approximately €830,000 to a foreign bank account, primarily for the supposed medical costs. Earlier, she had also sent smaller amounts to cover “customs fees” for non-existent luxury gifts.
The year-and-a-half-long deception only collapsed in the summer of 2024 when the real Brad Pitt was widely photographed with his then-new partner, Inés de Ramon. Seeing the genuine news reports shattered Anne’s fantasy, forcing her to realize she had been the victim of an enormous fraud.
Anne has since filed a police complaint, and an investigation is underway. Reports indicate she has been hospitalized for severe depression following the ordeal.
A spokesperson for Brad Pitt has publicly condemned the scammers, stating, “It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities… this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.”
The case, which has drawn international attention, serves as a stark warning about the rapidly evolving threat of AI-enhanced romance scams.