Police in Spain have apprehended five individuals accused of defrauding two women out of a total of 325,000 euros (approximately $362,000) by impersonating Hollywood star Brad Pitt online. The operation, known as Operation Bralina, involved investigations across eight provinces, according to a statement from the Guardia Civil released on Monday.
Among the victims, one woman lost 175,000 euros ($195,000), while another was defrauded of 150,000 euros ($167,000). Authorities successfully recovered 85,000 euros ($95,000) of the stolen funds.
The scam began when the victims were approached through a fan site dedicated to Brad Pitt. Fraudsters convinced them that the actor was interested in investing in various projects with them. The police statement detailed how the cyber criminals researched the women’s social media profiles, constructing psychological profiles that revealed both were vulnerable and struggling with depression and a lack of affection.
“They also used instant messaging platforms to exchange messages and emails with the two women until they thought they were chatting via WhatsApp with Brad Pitt himself, who promised them a romantic relationship and a future together,” the statement explained.
Ultimately, both women made multiple bank transfers to the individual they believed was Pitt. It was only after realizing they had been scammed that they reported the incident to the authorities.
Investigators uncovered that the scam involved a network of bank accounts established using fraudulent identity documents. Additionally, “mules” were recruited to launder money through their personal accounts in exchange for a small fee.
