Yahoo Boys used deepfakes to defraud French woman of €830,000 in Brad Pitt romance scam
A French woman lost €830,000 in a romance scam where criminals used deepfake images and fake accounts to impersonate actor Brad Pitt. The scammers convinced her over 18 months that Pitt needed money for medical treatment, and when she disclosed the case publicly, she faced online harassment.
What happened
A 53-year-old French woman named Anne was contacted on Instagram by scammers posing as Brad Pitt's mother. After initial contact, the scammers sent messages and AI-generated images claiming to be from Pitt himself, using fake social media and WhatsApp accounts.
Over a year and a half, the scammers convinced Anne she was in a romantic relationship with Pitt. They told her the actor needed money for kidney treatment and that his bank accounts were frozen due to divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie. Anne transferred €830,000 ($850,000) to accounts controlled by the scammers, including an account in Turkey.
Anne discovered the deception when news emerged of Pitt's real relationship with Ines de Ramon. When she appeared on the TF1 television programme 'Seven to Eight' to discuss her experience, the interview went viral and sparked mockery and harassment online, leading TF1 to withdraw the broadcast.
Reported impact
Anne lost her life savings of €830,000 ($850,000) to the scam and divorced her husband based on her belief in the romantic relationship with Pitt. She was reported to be suffering from severe depression and had received hospital treatment.
The public disclosure of her case resulted in a wave of online harassment and cyberbullying against Anne. TF1 withdrew the interview from its platforms to protect the vulnerable victim, noting that critics had accused the channel of failing to safeguard her despite her known mental health difficulties.
Index analysis
Experts noted that artificial intelligence has increased the risk of identity theft, hoaxes and fraud online in romance scam schemes. The scammers used AI image-creating technology to send selfies and messages that appeared authentic.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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