A French woman who fell victim to an elaborate scam involving AI-generated images of Hollywood actor Brad Pitt is now seeking justice.
The fraud, which went viral after its discovery, saw the 53-year-old, identified as Anne, lose her entire life savings, amounting to €830,000, after being duped into believing she was in a romantic relationship with the actor.
Anne was first contacted on Instagram by someone pretending to be Pitt’s mother, after she shared pictures of herself skiing in the French resort of Tignes.
The scammers, using convincing AI-generated photos, then claimed that the actor was in urgent need of financial help to cover medical expenses for a supposed kidney treatment.
They further convinced Anne that Pitt’s bank accounts had been frozen due to an ongoing divorce battle with actress Angelina Jolie.
Anne's lawyer, Laurene Hanna, revealed that the scamsters tricked Anne into sending significant sums, falsely promising that the funds would assist the actor in overcoming his financial predicament.
As the investigation into the case progressed, Anne, along with her legal team, discovered that the perpetrators were based in Nigeria.
Three young men in their 20s, who were responsible for the scam, have been identified.
Marwan Ouarab, the founder of FindmyScammer.com, has been working with Anne's lawyer to track down the criminals.
According to Ouarab, the fraudsters are believed to be operating out of Nigeria, where cybercrime has become a widespread issue.
Translation:
Big news for you who are enjoying the #BradPitt … 😨 , Anne is our client, we found the scammers who stole her 830,000 € and we will come back in more detail tomorrow on the YouTube channel and social networks of @legendmediafr in the Legend Story format and Saturday on @M6 in the meantime I ask you all to remain kind to her please! She is fragile, sick (HIV + cancer) and has already tried to end her life 3 times, she really needs your support, the comments made in 7a8 are not accurate and the treatment we received is not excusable! We have not signed any release of liability or any broadcast authorization! In the show it is said that he has 40,000 € in savings left when it is false. He does not have a single cent left to the point where it is his daughter Margaux who helps him provide for his needs and that it is I myself who paid his first lawyer fees, I cannot endorse such malice towards a victim of fraud, Anne could have been the mother of all of us because none of our parents are really prepared to deal with AI or deepfake! Take care of yourself!
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria confirmed that it could only begin an investigation if a formal petition was submitted.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesman, said,
"It is a petition that authorises the EFCC to act."
Known locally as "Yahoo Boys," Nigerian scammers have long been notorious for internet fraud, including romance scams and phishing schemes.
This new scam, which utilises AI technology to create fake personas, marks an alarming shift in the methods used by these cybercriminals.
Experts fear that the use of deepfake technology could set back efforts to combat online fraud by decades.
Cybercrime specialist Timothy Avele warned,
“The use of AI and deepfake will erase the huge gains made already and set us back over 20 years."
The fraudsters involved in the Brad Pitt scam are part of a wider network of cybercriminals operating from Nigeria, often working with international syndicates.
While the country struggles with weak cybersecurity systems, these groups continue to exploit Nigeria's vulnerabilities for financial gain.
EFCC has been actively pursuing cybercriminals, most recently arresting 792 suspects, including 148 foreign nationals, in a crackdown in Lagos.
Oyewale highlighted the agency’s ongoing efforts to combat the growing issue, stating,
“EFCC is ready to tackle every emerging crime, including AI-enabled crimes.”
The influence of Nigerian internet fraudsters extends beyond crime and into pop culture.
The 2007 hit song ‘Yahooze’ by Afrobeats star Olu Maintain glorified internet fraud, while several other Nigerian artists have faced scrutiny for their connections to cybercrime.
In 2019, Nigerian musician Naira Marley was briefly arrested over credit card fraud, while Shallipopi and his manager were detained in 2023 for internet-related fraud.
These incidents show the deeply ingrained nature of cybercrime in Nigerian society, with fraudsters becoming celebrities in their own right.
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