How aI Deepfake of 007 Star Left Art Gallery Owner's World in Tatters
It was the dream finalizing for the owner of an unknown Nottingham gallery - an exhibit featuring the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, who would also address meet fans.
But the gallery's owner has actually exposed how her income and credibility were 'destroyed' after the Pierce Brosnan with whom she spent months working out the exhibit of a lifetime turned out not to be the Bond star but a 'deepfake'.
Simone Simms has actually spoken for the very first time about how she fell for the intricate expert system (AI) which resulted in her losing her ₤ 30,000 Long Eaton gallery.
Ms Simms told The Mail on Sunday she was 'villainised' after selling ₤ 20,000 worth of tickets to art fans with the promise of meeting 71-year-old Brosnan, just to find she had actually been duped.
Scammers used AI to create a persuading similarity of Mr Brosnan video-calling her from his ₤ 80million home in Hawaii.
Ms Simms remembered 'how real' he appeared on Zoom and how she 'screeched with excitement that he remained in my living-room talking to me' before taking the bait and sending out the scammers ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping costs' for the art.
Her headache started when she called what she thought to be Mr Brosnan's legitimate Facebook page at the start of 2023 and asked if he would show his paintings at her venue.
She then says she was called by what she believed was the star and around 200 messages were exchanged between them on the Telegram messaging app, including a variety of voice notes discussing the exhibition.
The AI deepfake of 007 star Pierce Brosnan that fooled art gallery owner Simone Simms
Mrs Simms (imagined, left) came down with a fraud that led to her losing her ₤ 30,000 art gallery
More than 20,000 tickets were offered with the promise of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, who scammers had actually deepfaked to appear like he was calling Mrs Simms from his ₤ 80million home in Hawaii
A Pierce Brosnan painting. Mrs Simms exchanged 200 messages via Telegram with who she thought was the Bond actor
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In one audio message, listened to by The Mail on Sunday, a voice with Mr Brosnan's unique Irish accent goes over the forthcoming exhibition.
'Simone, it's Pierce Brosnan here, how's it going? Just wished to apologise for not being able to set up a conference,' the voice says.
'I've been overloaded lately. Please let your team understand that I truly value the invite to the art exhibit.
'I have high expectations it will be a big success.'
In a subsequent video call, Mr Brosnan's image appeared on the screen however the noise was off. Messages from the individual on the other side of the phone claimed there was a technological problem.
Two of Ms Simms's good friends were also in the video conference, one of 2 Ms Simms believed she had actually had with Brosnan, and were both deceived, insisting she was not an 'idiot'.
Among them, artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It appeared like his real face. He said his boy had set it up for him. He said the noise problem was on our end. It continued for a while.'
Pierce Brosnan at the Art Miami VIP opening in Miami Florida
After the fake event was scheduled, Mr Brosnan put out a statement damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never charge for a satisfy and welcome'
The genuine Pierce's artwork. Mrs Simms promoted ₤ 500 'meet and greet' tickets with the deepfake Mr Brosnan
Another painting the genuine Mr Brosnan. Mrs Simms states she wishes the actor would acknowledge her as a victim instead of a villain
Others have actually reported being gotten in touch with by a phony Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan. Pictured: Among the real Mr Brosnan's paintings
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Meanwhile, after Ms Simms booked and marketed her show, the genuine Mr Brosnan saw an ad for the exhibition including his art online and humanlove.stream provided a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a meet and greet'.
His lawyers sent her an instant cease-and-desist letter in November 2023, three days after she marketed the ₤ 500 VIP meet-and-greet tickets.
A 'frightened' Ms Simms realised her error and tearfully recalled: 'It was the worst time of my life and it tainted my credibility.
'Pierce injured me by releasing the declaration. He ought to have done more research before he did due to the fact that he would understand I was only a fan connecting but he villainised me and that's where it started to fail.
'I wish he would acknowledge me as a victim and not as a villain. He needs to tell the public about what genuinely happened and set the tone.
'I do not hate him, since he is a victim too. People abused his image. If I knew it wasn't him, I would never have actually set up the exhibition or offered the tickets.'
A photo by Piers Brosnan depicting a green area on the coast
Ms Simms reimbursed the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the incident left her track record in tatters. Pictured: clashofcryptos.trade A painting by Pierce Brosnan
One of the real Pierce Brosnan's paintings portraying a female lying down
As soon as she realised she had actually been fooled, Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was required to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the saga left her credibility in tatters, with numerous still thinking she had attempted to scam them.
Others have actually reported being gotten in touch with by a phony Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his movies is their preferred before requesting cash.
It comes as last month The Mail revealed how a divorced female was fooled into turning over ₤ 700,000 to a fraudster impersonating Brad Pitt and requested for money to fund his immediate kidney cancer treatment.
Mr Brosnan has actually been approached for remark.
NottinghamPierce BrosnanHawaii