French Woman Duped in €830,000 Brad Pitt Scam, Daughter Speaks Out

The daughter of a 53-year-old French woman who fell victim to an elaborate social media scam involving an imposter posing as Hollywood star Brad Pitt has broken her silence. Speaking on the program La Grande Semaine on Saturday, Margot addressed the public criticism her mother has faced since the story became public.

“I have received many terrible messages about my mother,” Margot said. “People have misunderstood the situation, and I am here to set the record straight,” she told Le Parisien.

Margot described her mother’s ordeal as a “descent into hell” and revealed the emotional toll it has taken on their family. “The wave of hate was enormous—a storm. She doesn’t deserve the hate she’s receiving on social media,” Margot explained.

“She Wanted to End Her Life”

The 53-year-old victim, referred to as Anne, is currently in Réunion with family and receiving professional help to recover. “She wanted to end her life,” Margot disclosed. “But I told her, ‘You have to fight.’”

Margot emphasized that her mother was deceived and is ultimately a victim. “Beyond the mockery, she is still a victim of fraud. She was manipulated. No matter how many times I warned her to be cautious, she fell into the trap. It could happen to anyone.”

Legal Action Taken Against the Scammer

The victim’s lawyer, Lorraine Ane, also appeared on the program and confirmed that a formal complaint has been filed with the authorities. Ane criticized Anne’s bank, asserting that it bears some responsibility for not flagging the suspicious transactions. “The origin of the funds was clear, but their destination was not,” she said.

How the Scam Unfolded

Anne recounted her experience in an interview with French channel TF1. She explained that the scam began in February 2023, shortly after she created an Instagram account to share photos of a holiday in the Alps. A woman claiming to be Brad Pitt’s mother contacted her, saying her son needed someone like Anne in his life.

A few days later, Anne was messaged by someone posing as Brad Pitt himself. “At first, I thought it was fake,” Anne admitted. “But I’m not familiar with social media, and I didn’t fully understand what was happening.”

The scammer, using artificial intelligence-generated images of Pitt in a hospital bed, convinced Anne he needed $830,000 for medical treatment. Believing she was in a romantic relationship with the actor, Anne not only sent the money but also divorced her husband, thinking she would start a new life with Pitt.

“I was in love with the man I was chatting with,” Anne said. “He knew exactly how to talk to a woman.”

Anne realized the truth only after seeing news reports of Brad Pitt’s relationship with Ines de Ramon. She then filed a police report for fraud. Reflecting on the experience, Anne said, “I wonder why they chose me to hurt in this way. I have never harmed anyone. These people deserve hell.”