Brad Pitt speaks out after French woman scammed out of $850,000 in catfish scheme

Brad Pitt has spoken out after a French woman was allegedly scammed out of $850,000 by a con artist posing as the Oscar-winning actor. The scam targeted a 53-year-old woman, identified as Anne, who believed she was in an online relationship with Pitt. 

The scam began when the fraudster first contacted Anne, pretending to be Pitt’s mother and claiming her son needed financial help. Despite initial doubts, Anne continued communicating with the scammer, who later assumed Pitt’s identity, telling her that he was battling kidney cancer and required assistance due to frozen bank accounts following his divorce from Angelina Jolie.

The scammer convinced Anne to send nearly €10,000 to cover supposed customs fees for gifts, followed by close to $800,000 to help with Pitt’s medical expenses. To further the deception, the fraudster sent AI-generated images of Pitt in hospital beds. 

Anne only began to suspect something was wrong after reading about Pitt’s real-life relationship with Ines De Ramon. Upon confronting the scammer, the fraudster attempted to deny the truth. Eventually, Anne realized she had been tricked and filed a lawsuit, prompting a police investigation.

Brad Pitt’s representatives have condemned the scam, emphasizing the risks of online fraud targeting fans. In a statement, Pitt’s rep said, “It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities, but this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence” (via E! News). 

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by online scams that exploit people’s trust in public figures.