Swindled out of 830,000 euros by a fake Brad Pitt, Anne saw her story exposed in “Sept à Huit”. Between cyberharassment, accusations against TF1 and hope for justice, a look back at a case that goes beyond fiction.
Sunday January 12, 2025, TF1 broadcast a chilling report on Anne, a woman defrauded by an individual posing as Brad Pitt. Using fake selfies, falsified documents and artificial intelligence tools, the scammers gained his trust, going so far as to pretend they needed money for an operation related to kidney cancer.
A few hours after the report was broadcast, social networks were on fire, causing a wave of cyberharassment against the victim. Faced with pressure, “Sept à Huit” announced this Tuesday to remove the subject from all its platforms. “For the protection of the victims, we have decided to withdraw it”explained the show in a message published on X.
In front of the camera, Anne, the victim aged around fifty, revealed the workings of a sophisticated scam. The scammer, who used fake selfies and falsified documents, managed to extract hundreds of thousands of euros. Hospitalized in a specialized center after several suicide attempts, Anne today denounces the media treatment she suffered. “I’m not crazy or stupid as some people claim (…). In my place, you would have fallen into the trap”she said on the YouTube channel “Legend”.
Anne also criticizes TF1 production for inaccuracies in the reporting: “The journalist retained what should not have been retained! All this to tarnish my image and gain an audience“. She insists on the fact that her recurring doubts about the scam were not highlighted, and that her family ties, presented as loose, were in reality solid. “In the report, it says that my daughter and I were angry for months. This is completely false, my daughter has never, ever rejected me. I have an excellent relationship with my daughter and, today, she supports me, the proof is that she testified.”
A warning against false contacts
Anne’s story also reached the ears of actor Brad Pitt, who released a statement via Entertainment Weekly. “It’s terrible that scammers are taking advantage of the great affection that fans have for certain celebrities”declared his spokesperson. The actor calls for vigilance and reminds that he does not use social networks to solicit his fans.
A hacker on the trail of the crook
Marwan, a hacker featured in Guillaume Pley’s YouTube video “Legend”, led the investigation. Using cybersecurity tools, he identified the scammer, located in Benin: “First there was a scammer who received the money in bank accounts. Anne made transfers to bank accounts abroad. From there, the scammer distributed everything in cryptocurrency. We able to trace the funds, we know the address of the wallet which currently holds the funds, and above all we have the address of the scammer’s house, the name of the scammer and a lot of information about him “explains Marwan.
The scammer was not limited to the identity of Brad Pitt: he also usurped that of Keanu Reeves, with around thirty victims to his credit. Anne, however, remains the most affected by this fraud. Marwan, however, remains optimistic: “We have great hope that Anne will be able to recover her 830,000 euros“. He also claims that steps are being taken to arrest the person responsible.
Brad Pitt romantic scam con artist actor
