Spanish authorities recently announced that five people were arrested this year and face fraud and money laundering charges after posing as Brad Pitt online and scamming two women out of over $350,000, The New York Times reports. The arrests were announced in a statement on Sept. 23 by Spain’s Interior Ministry. Three online scammers were arrested last November and two more were arrested in July.
Per The New York Times: “The statement said the accused had contacted the women through an online fan page dedicated to Mr. Pitt and posed as the Oscar-winning American actor. The authorities said the accused had gone on to exchange instant messages and emails with their victims, who thought they were corresponding directly with Mr. Pitt.”
The online scammers “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 added. Authorities said the Pitt imposters then asked for money. One women sent them about $168,000, and another sent around $195,500. Only $94,000 has been recovered so far as part of the investigation.
Pitt’s publicist Matthew Hiltzik issued a statement to The Times that reads: “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.”
The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” actor remains offline and does not have official social media accounts on platforms such as Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and more.
Pitt has been making the press rounds recently in support of his crime comedy “Wolfs,” which streams Sept. 27 on Apple TV+.
Source Agencies
