Brad Pitt Rep Speaks Out After AI Photographs of Him Have been Used to Con French Lady Out of $850,000

“It is terrible that scammers make the most of followers’ robust reference to celebrities,” Pitt stated in an announcement through his rep, earlier than sharing his warning to others who could discover themselves in one other precarious state of affairs with a purported celeb.

Earlier this week, it was reported that 53-year-old lady, recognized solely as Anne, was conned out of $850,000 by a catfish posing because the 61-year-old Oscar-winning actor. The alleged con artist made her consider that they have been relationship and proceeded to ask her for assist paying for medical care, sharing AI generated images of Pitt from a hospital mattress.

After the story and the pretend pictures of the As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood actor rapidly went viral, Pitt launched an announcement by way of his rep, calling the ordeal “terrible.”

“It is terrible that scammers make the most of followers’ robust reference to celebrities, however this is a crucial reminder to not reply to unsolicited on-line outreach, particularly from actors who haven’t any social media presence,” Pitt’s rep shared in an announcement with E! Information.

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In keeping with U.Okay. outlet, The Occasions, Anne reportedly instructed French tv station, TF1, that all of it went down after she was contacted by somebody claiming to be Pitt’s mom, who instructed her, “It is a lady such as you that my son wants.”

Whereas Anne was skeptical at first, she saved involved with the particular person earlier than she was messaged by somebody posing as Pitt.

“At first I stated to myself that it was pretend, that it is ridiculous,” Anne instructed TF1. “However I am not used to social media and I did not actually perceive what was taking place to me.”

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Anne first despatched practically €10,000 to the scammer, or roughly $10,300, after they stated they wanted her to pay customs tariffs so she might obtain presents they claimed to have despatched to her.

“There are so few males who write you this type of factor,” Anne stated. “I favored the person I used to be speaking to. He knew the way to discuss to ladies, it was at all times very nicely accomplished.”

Anne then reportedly instructed the scammer that she had lately divorced her husband, and proceeded to ship $800,000 to the pretend Brad after they stated that they had developed kidney most cancers and wanted a mortgage as a result of his financial institution accounts have been frozen because of his divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie — Pitt has since lately finalized his divorce with Jolie, eight years after their cut up.

The scammer reportedly despatched Anne AI-generated pictures of Pitt’s face over males in hospital beds to strengthen their case.

Issues took a flip, nonetheless, when the Anne learn that the actual Pitt was in a relationship with Ines De Ramon. She determine to confront the scammer, who reportedly despatched her one thing denying the stories. After seeing increasingly more articles about Pitt’s relationship, Anne realized that she had been scammed. She has since filed a lawsuit and a police are investigating the matter.

“I ask myself why they selected me to do such hurt like this?” Anne stated throughout her look on Sept à huit, in keeping with French outlet AFP. “I’ve by no means harmed anybody. These folks deserve hell.”