Online scammer posing as Brad Pitt defrauds woman of €830,000
A heartbreaking case of online deception has resulted in severe consequences for both the victim and a major French broadcaster. TF1, France's leading television channel, has been forced to remove a news report after its subject faced intense online harassment following her revelation of falling victim to a sophisticated romance scam.
The victim, a 53-year-old interior designer identified as Anne, lost €830,000 after believing she was in an online relationship with Hollywood actor Brad Pitt for over a year. The scammer, masquerading as Pitt, convinced her to send money by claiming he needed financial assistance for cancer treatment, explaining that his accounts were frozen due to divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie.
The situation took a devastating turn after the television report aired on January 12, 2025. The story quickly went viral on social media, subjecting Anne to widespread mockery and ridicule. In response to the overwhelming harassment, program host Harry Roselmack announced on X that the report would be removed from all TF1 platforms to protect the victim.
The personal toll on Anne has been severe. Following the financial loss, she has attempted suicide three times and is currently receiving treatment at a specialized facility for severe depression. The reality of the deception only became clear to her when media outlets published photos of Pitt with his partner, Inés de Ramon, in summer 2024.
In her interview with TF1, which has since been removed from the broadcaster's replay services, Anne expressed her anguish: "I ask myself why they chose me to do such harm like this. I've never harmed anyone. These people deserve hell."
The case has highlighted the serious impact of romance scams and online harassment, leading to discussions about victim protection and the responsible reporting of such incidents.
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