How aI Deepfake of 007 Star Left Art Gallery Owner's World in Tatters
It was the dream finalizing for the owner of an unidentified Nottingham gallery - an exhibition including the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, who would likewise take care of meet fans.
But the gallery's owner has exposed how her livelihood and reputation were 'destroyed' after the Pierce Brosnan with whom she spent months working out the exhibition of a lifetime ended up not to be the Bond star but a 'deepfake'.
Simone Simms has promoted the very first time about how she fell for timeoftheworld.date the elaborate expert system (AI) scam which resulted in 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 lovers with the pledge of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, just to find she had actually been fooled.
Scammers used AI to generate a persuading similarity of Mr Brosnan video-calling her from his ₤ 80million house in Hawaii.
Ms Simms recalled 'how genuine' he appeared on Zoom and how she 'screeched with enjoyment that he remained in my living space speaking with me' before taking the bait and sending the fraudsters ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping fees' for the art.
Her nightmare started when she contacted what she believed to be Mr Brosnan's genuine Facebook page at the start of 2023 and asked if he would exhibit his paintings at her venue.
She then says she was contacted by what she believed was the star and around 200 messages were exchanged between them on the Telegram messaging app, consisting of a variety of voice notes talking about the exhibit.
The AI deepfake of 007 star Pierce Brosnan that duped art gallery owner Simone Simms
Mrs Simms (pictured, left) succumbed to a fraud that resulted in her losing her ₤ 30,000 art gallery
More than 20,000 tickets were offered with the pledge of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, who scammers had actually deepfaked to resemble he was calling Mrs Simms from his ₤ 80million house in Hawaii
A Pierce Brosnan painting. Mrs Simms exchanged 200 messages via Telegram with who she thought was the Bond star
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In one audio message, listened to by The Mail on Sunday, a voice with Mr Brosnan's distinct Irish accent goes over the upcoming exhibition.
'Simone, it's Pierce Brosnan here, how's it going? Just desired to apologise for not being able to set up a conference,' the voice states.
'I've been swamped recently. Please let your team understand that I truly appreciate the invitation 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 but the sound was off. Messages from the person on the other side of the phone claimed there was a technological concern.
Two of Ms Simms's pals were likewise in the video meeting, one of 2 Ms Simms thought she had had with Brosnan, and were both tricked, insisting she was not an 'moron'.
Among them, artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It appeared like his real face. He said his kid had actually 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 phony event was booked, Mr Brosnan put out a statement damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a meet and welcome'
The real Pierce's art work. Mrs Simms advertised ₤ 500 'satisfy and welcome' tickets with the deepfake Mr Brosnan
Another painting the genuine Mr Brosnan. Mrs Simms says she wishes the actor would acknowledge her as a victim rather than a villain
Others have reported being contacted by a fake Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan. Pictured: Among the real Mr Brosnan's paintings
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Meanwhile, after Ms Simms scheduled and marketed her show, the genuine Mr Brosnan saw an advertisement for the exhibit featuring his art online and provided a declaration damning the gallery, he 'would never ever charge for a meet and greet'.
His attorneys sent her an immediate cease-and-desist letter in November 2023, three days after she promoted the ₤ 500 VIP meet-and-greet tickets.
A 'horrified' 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 issuing the statement. He ought to have done more research study before he did due to the fact that he would realise I was just a fan connecting but he villainised me and that'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 general public about what truly took place and set the tone.
'I do not hate him, because he is a victim too. People abused his photo. If I understood it wasn't him, I would never ever have established the exhibit or offered the tickets.'
A picture by Piers Brosnan illustrating a green location on the coast
Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was required to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the event left her credibility in tatters. Pictured: A painting by Pierce Brosnan
Among the genuine Pierce Brosnan's paintings portraying a woman lying down
As quickly as she understood she had been fooled, Ms Simms reimbursed the ₤ 20,000 in tickets however was required to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the legend left her reputation in tatters, with lots of still thinking she had tried to rip-off them.
Others have reported being contacted by a fake Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his films is their favourite before requesting for cash.
It comes as last month The Mail revealed how a divorced woman was deceived into handing over ₤ 700,000 to a fraudster impersonating Brad Pitt and requested for cash to fund his immediate kidney cancer treatment.
Mr Brosnan has actually been approached for comment.
NottinghamPierce BrosnanHawaii