It was the dream signing for the owner of an unknown Nottingham gallery - an exhibit including the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, akropolistravel.com who would likewise address fulfill fans.
But the gallery's owner has actually revealed how her income and reputation were 'messed up' after the Pierce Brosnan with whom she spent months negotiating the exhibit of a life time ended up not to be the Bond star however a 'deepfake'.
Simone Simms has actually spoken for qoocle.com the very first time about how she fell for the sophisticated synthetic intelligence (AI) rip-off which led to her losing her ₤ 30,000 Long Eaton gallery.
Ms Simms told The Mail on Sunday she was 'villainised' after offering ₤ 20,000 worth of tickets to art enthusiasts with the guarantee of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, only to discover she had actually been duped.
Scammers used AI to generate a persuading likeness of Mr Brosnan video-calling her from his ₤ 80million house in Hawaii.
Ms Simms remembered 'how real' he appeared on Zoom and wiki.whenparked.com how she 'squealed with enjoyment that he remained in my living-room speaking with me' before taking the bait and sending the scammers ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping costs' for the art.
Her headache began 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 states she was contacted by what she thought was the star and around 200 messages were exchanged between them on the Telegram messaging app, including a variety of voice notes going over the exhibit.
The AI deepfake of 007 star Pierce Brosnan that duped art gallery owner Simone Simms
Mrs Simms (pictured, left) fell victim to a fraud that resulted in her losing her ₤ 30,000 art gallery
More than 20,000 tickets were offered with the guarantee of meeting 71-year-old Brosnan, who fraudsters had actually deepfaked to look like he was calling Mrs Simms from his ₤ 80million house in Hawaii
A Pierce Brosnan painting. Mrs Simms exchanged 200 messages by means of Telegram with who she thought was the Bond actor
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In one audio message, listened to by The Mail on Sunday, wiki.insidertoday.org a voice with Mr Brosnan's unique Irish accent goes over the upcoming exhibit.
'Simone, it's Pierce Brosnan here, how's it going? Just wanted to apologise for not being able to establish a conference,' the voice says.
'I've been overloaded recently. Please let your group understand that I truly appreciate the invite to the art exhibition.
'I have high expectations it will be a huge success.'
In a subsequent video call, Mr Brosnan's image appeared on the screen but the noise was off. Messages from the individual on the other side of the phone claimed there was a technological issue.
Two of Ms Simms's buddies were also in the video meeting, one of 2 Ms Simms believed she had actually had with Brosnan, and were both fooled, insisting she was not an 'idiot'.
One of them, artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It looked like his genuine face. He said his son had actually set it up for him. He said the sound problem was on our end. It brought on for a while.'
Pierce Brosnan at the Art Miami VIP opening in Miami Florida
After the fake event was booked, Mr Brosnan put out a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a meet and greet'
The genuine Pierce's art work. Mrs Simms advertised ₤ 500 'meet and welcome' tickets with the deepfake Mr Brosnan
Another painting the genuine Mr Brosnan. Mrs Simms says she wants the star would acknowledge her as a victim instead of a villain
Others have actually reported being called by a phony Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan. Pictured: accc.rcec.sinica.edu.tw Among the genuine Mr Brosnan's paintings
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Meanwhile, after Ms Simms scheduled and marketed her program, the real Mr Brosnan saw an ad for the exhibit featuring his art online and released a statement damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never charge for a satisfy and greet'.
His lawyers sent her an immediate cease-and-desist letter in November 2023, 3 days after she promoted the ₤ 500 VIP meet-and-greet tickets.
A 'frightened' Ms Simms understood her error and tearfully remembered: 'It was the worst time of my life and it tainted my reputation.
'Pierce hurt me by releasing the declaration. He must have done more research study before he did since he would understand I was just a fan connecting however he villainised me which's where it started to fail.
'I want 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, because he is a victim too. People abused his photo. If I knew it wasn't him, I would never ever have established the exhibition or sold the tickets.'
A photo by Piers Brosnan illustrating a green location on the coast
Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the event left her credibility in tatters. Pictured: A painting by Pierce Brosnan
One of the real Pierce Brosnan's paintings portraying a woman resting
As soon as she realised she had been fooled, Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in however was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the saga left her credibility in tatters, with lots of still thinking she had tried to rip-off them.
Others have reported being called by a fake Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his films is their favourite before requesting money.
It comes as last month The Mail revealed how a divorced woman was deceived into turning over ₤ 700,000 to a fraudster positioning as Brad Pitt and requested cash to money his urgent kidney cancer treatment.
Mr Brosnan has been approached for comment.
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How aI Deepfake of 007 Star Left Art Gallery Owner's World in Tatters
Alda Lawrence edited this page 2025-02-12 03:46:32 +01:00