Scammer uses AI to pretend to be Brad Pitt: woman divorces her husband, gives 'Brad' over $800K

A woman was scammed out of $855,000 by someone who was using AI-generated photos and videos pretending to be Brad Pitt.

In February 2023, the scammed woman who identifies as Anne, says someone who was claiming to be Brad Pitt's mother, reached out to her on Instagram introducing her to her son "Brad". The woman was skeptical at first, but the scammer sent her messages, poems, and AI-generated photos and videos pretending to be Brad Pitt, and she completely fell for it.

Anne said that the purported Brad Pitt confessed his love for her, and even proposed... if that wasn't crazy enough, the woman accepted Brad's proposal, and divorced her husband. After she divorced, she received a settlement of around $798,000 to which the scammer acting as Brad Pitt.

With a quick Google search for this story revealing a net worth of $400 million,- asked Anne for money to pay for customs fees on "gifts" like diamond rings, as well as money to help Brad Pitt (worth north of $400M) to help treat their kidney cancer, and even get out of some issues after his divorce with Angelina Jolie.

The woman was completely captured at this point -- hook, line, and sinker -- but it was only after Anne saw pictures of the real Brad Pitt with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, on social media, did she start being suspicious. Anne then reported the scammer to the authorities, which is when an investigation was launched.

Brad Pitt said in a statement to E! News: "It's awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities. But this is an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence".