She Sent $850K to 'Brad Pitt' — Turns Out, It Was All a Lie

For Anne, a 53-year-old French interior designer, what started as an online conversation turned into a devastating ordeal. Over the course of 18 months, scammers pretending to be Brad Pitt and his mother manipulated her into believing she was in a relationship with the Hollywood actor. By the end, she had lost over $850,000, and her life was in shambles.

It Started With a Message

Anne first received a direct message from someone claiming to be Brad Pitt's mother, Jane Etta Pitt, Anne revealed on the French TV show "Seven to Eight," a documentary program on TF1. The supposed Jane told her that her son needed someone like Anne.

At first, Anne didn't believe it was real, but the scammers were persistent. Soon, Anne began exchanging messages with someone claiming to be Pitt himself. Over time, the fake Pitt sent her love poems, romantic declarations, and even a marriage proposal. "There are few men who write to you like that," she told French Media, TF1, according to The Independent. "I loved the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women and it was very well put together."

Exploiting Vulnerability

Anne was in the middle of a divorce from her much older millionaire husband when the scammers targeted her. They used her vulnerable state to their advantage, claiming Pitt was gravely ill with kidney cancer and needed financial help for treatment. The scammers told Anne his bank accounts were frozen due to legal issues with his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, leaving him unable to pay for his care.

To make their story more convincing, the scammers sent Anne AI-generated images of Pitt in a hospital bed, including one photo of him holding a sign that said, "Anne I love you." They also fabricated emails from a "doctor," claiming Pitt's condition was dire.

Anne, desperate to help, began sending money. At first, the payments were small, such as €9,000 to cover customs fees for supposed gifts Pitt had sent her, including Chanel^® handbags and Hermès^® watches. But the demands grew larger, and over the course of 18 months, Anne transferred more than $850,000 to a Turkish bank account.

Ignoring Warnings

Anne's daughter tried to warn her mother that she was being conned, but Anne refused to believe it. "You'll see when he's here in person, then you'll say sorry," she said to her daughter, according to The Independent.

Her illusions crumbled in the summer of 2024 when she saw photos of the real Pitt with his girlfriend, Inès de Ramon. Realizing she had been scammed, Anne was left heartbroken. She reported the scam to authorities, filing a criminal lawsuit that led to a police investigation.

Brad Pitt's Team Issues a Warning

Following Anne's story, a representative for Brad Pitt warned the public about such scams. "It's awful that scammers take advantage of fans' strong connection with celebrities," Pitt's representative told E! News. "This is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence."

The representative also confirmed that Pitt does not have any official accounts on Instagram^®, X, or TikTok^®. The scammers in Anne's case had used AI-generated images to create a believable illusion of the actor, a tactic that has become more common in online fraud schemes.

The Aftermath

Anne's nightmare didn't end with her financial loss. After her interview aired on "Seven to Eight," she became the target of widespread online bullying. Since then, she has attempted suicide three times and has been hospitalized for severe depression, as reported by The Times. As a result, French broadcaster TF1 pulled the interview from their website to protect her from further harassment.

While French authorities have launched an investigation, it remains unclear if the scammers will ever be caught. Anne's story is a sobering reminder of how advanced technology and emotional manipulation can devastate lives.

References: Woman Scammed into Believing She Was Dating Brad Pitt Divorced Her Husband, Transferred Over $800,000 | Brad Pitt love scam dupes French woman out of €800,000 | How an AI Brad Pitt fraudster convinced woman to split with millionaire husband and fund 'cancer treatment' | Brad Pitt's Rep Reacts After Woman Is Conned Out of $850K in Alleged Catfishing Scheme