Brad Pitt Imposter Scam Leads to Losses of Over $300,000 With Multiple Arrests

Brad Pitt is making headlines for all the wrong reasons, however, it's not his real self to do so. Online scammers in Spain have been impersonating the Hollywood star to entice and scam women. Spanish media, Hola! has reported arrests being made after two women were duped via online scam for a combined amount of  €325,000 ($364,000). 

According to Times London, a handwritten letter which was collected from the criminal's property read, "My love for you is true. Feeling from my heart and forever, please forgive me and accept me … it is because I love you and am very much in love with you." The police revealed that the criminals behind the scam would speak to women online and tell them how much they are in love with them. Further, they would try to convince them about their lavish lifestyle and future in Hollywood. The police revealed that the Pitt Nexus operated completely online. According to the police, the scammers targeted two women who were both in their 60s by concluding that they lacked romantic relationships. Their lifestyle was studied to ensure they were vulnerable enough to fall into the trap. 

The criminals effectively traced the WhatsApp numbers of their targetted victims and started bombarding them with emails & letters with romantic gestures. The offenders who acted to be the Mr. and Mrs. Smith star also psychologically studied their victims to ensure they were "depressed." Taking a cue from the incident Matthew Hiltzik— a publicist for the 50-year-old actor shared a statement with the New York Times. The statement warned Pitt's fans against the extortion of money and fraud in the name of the Golden Globe-award-winning star.

The publicist shared, "It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities. But this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence," by expressing regret on the incident. The arrests were made since November 2023 and five men have been held as suspects in the case. Spain’s Interior Ministry shared how the crime unfolded and came to the fore. The criminals traced their victim through a fan page dedicated to the Oscar-award-winning actor. The Ministry shared in a statement expressing regret over how the women were targeted.

They "managed to make these women believe they had become so close to the well-known American actor that they believed they had a romantic relationship with him," the statement said. The suspects who face the charges of fraud and money laundering have not been named by the Spanish Police as of now. The incident has left the fans of the actor with the example of never trusting the fraudsters lurking online with ulterior motives.

If you have been scammed, you must act immediately and contact the relevant authorities to alert them of your situation. In the U.S., experts recommend contacting the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.