Brad Pitt has released an official statement following a heartbreaking incident where a French woman named Anne was duped out of €830,000 by fraudsters impersonating the iconic Hollywood star. Anne, who courageously shared her story on the French TV program "Sept à Huit" on TF1, revealed that she had parted with the bulk of her savings, believing it was to finance the actor's purported "cancer treatment."
The 53-year-old interior designer fell prey to a cunning scammer who utilized messages and AI-crafted images of Brad Pitt. The fraudster established a false "relationship" with Anne, eventually proposing marriage. Subsequent AI-generated photos depicted Pitt hospitalized with kidney cancer, portraying a desperate need for funds for his treatment, supposedly because his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, had frozen his bank accounts.
Despite Anne's initial suspicions, she was lulled into a false sense of security by the fake star's purported "doctor," who sent her reassuring emails detailing Pitt's battle for survival. In her naivety, Anne wired approximately €800,000 to a Turkish account.
Anne's realization that she had been deceived dawned only in the summer of 2024, when she stumbled upon pictures of Pitt with his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, online. "I ponder why they picked me to endure such cruelty," she lamented to TF1. "I've never hurt anyone. These people deserve the utmost condemnation."
Pitt's representatives have now spoken out about the situation, which has sparked widespread outrage in France and led to deplorable instances of cyberbullying. A spokesperson for Pitt stated, "It's appalling that scam artists exploit fans' deep connection with celebrities. This serves as a critical reminder to never respond to unsolicited online messages, particularly from actors who aren't active on social media."
This response echoes the one given by Pitt's team at the end of September 2024, when a similar scam victimized two Spanish women who admired the actor. Five individuals were apprehended during that time, with the total fraud amounting to €340,000.
The police are actively investigating the scam that left Anne hospitalized with depression. She has expressed her discontent with the TF1 show's editing on social media, and reports indicate that she is currently receiving medical care.
It remains uncertain whether Anne has been able to recoup any of her lost funds. Meanwhile, TF1 has withdrawn the "Sept à Huit" episode from circulation to prevent further cyberbullying.
As for the real Pitt, he and Jolie finalized their divorce settlement at the end of the previous year.
