Art gallery owner loses £30,000 gallery to AI deepfake scam of Pierce Brosnan via video calls and Telegram messages

Summary

An art gallery owner in Nottingham, Simone Simms, was scammed by an AI deepfake of actor Pierce Brosnan, leading to the loss of her £30,000 gallery. Simms negotiated with what she believed to be Brosnan via video calls and Telegram messages, during which she paid £3,000 for shipping fees and sold £20,000 worth of tickets promising a meet-and-greet with the actor. The scam involved a convincing AI-generated voice and image of Brosnan, including a video call that appeared to show him from his home in Hawaii. After the event was advertised, the real Pierce Brosnan issued a statement denying involvement and sent a cease-and-desist letter, damaging Simms’s reputation. She refunded the £20,000 in tickets but was forced to close her gallery in August 2024. Simms claims she was a victim of the scam and wishes Brosnan would acknowledge her rather than vilify her in public statements.