Brad Pitt Impersonators Arrested in Spain for €325,000 Scam
Spanish police have arrested five people suspected of defrauding two women out of a staggering €325,000 ($362,000) by pretending to be Hollywood star Brad Pitt online, CNN reports.
The operation, dubbed “Bralina,” spanned eight provinces and involved the investigation of ten other people.
The Guardia Civil revealed that the victims, who were contacted through a Brad Pitt fan site, were lured into a scheme by fraudsters posing as the actor. The criminals, adept at crafting believable online personas, convinced the women that Pitt wanted to invest in various projects with them.
“The cybercriminals studied the victims’ social networks and constructed psychological profiles, identifying them as vulnerable individuals suffering from depression and a lack of affection,” the Guardia Civil said. “They used instant messaging platforms and emails to build rapport, ultimately leading the women to believe they were chatting with Brad Pitt himself on WhatsApp, promising a romantic relationship and a future together.”
Both women were subsequently tricked into making numerous bank transfers to the supposed Pitt, only realizing they had been scammed when it was too late.
Police investigations revealed that the fraudsters had created a network of bank accounts using fake identity documents. They also employed “mules” to launder the stolen funds through their own accounts in exchange for a small cut.
Authorities were able to recover €85,000 ($95,000) of the stolen money.
