GitLab

It was the dream signing for the owner of an gallery - an exhibit featuring the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, who would also address satisfy fans.

But the gallery's owner has actually exposed how her livelihood and track record were 'messed up' after the Pierce Brosnan with whom she spent months working out the exhibition of a life time ended up not to be the Bond star however a 'deepfake'.

Simone Simms has promoted the very first time about how she fell for the sophisticated expert system (AI) fraud which led to 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 lovers with the pledge of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, only to discover she had been deceived.

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 how she 'screeched with excitement that he remained in my living-room speaking with me' before taking the bait and sending the fraudsters ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping costs' for the art.

Her headache began when she called what she believed 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 thought was the star and around 200 messages were exchanged in between them on the Telegram messaging app, consisting of a variety of voice notes discussing the exhibition.

The AI deepfake of 007 star Pierce Brosnan that duped art gallery owner Simone Simms

Mrs Simms (envisioned, kenpoguy.com left) came down with a scam that resulted in her losing her ₤ 30,000 art gallery

More than 20,000 tickets were sold with the guarantee of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, tandme.co.uk 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 believed was the Bond actor

A TikTok legal representative shared a deepfake of me being racist ... I was sent home from work and almost jailed

In one audio message, listened to by The Mail on Sunday, a voice with Mr Brosnan's distinctive Irish accent talks about the upcoming exhibit.

'Simone, opensourcebridge.science it's Pierce Brosnan here, how's it going? Just wished to apologise for not having the ability to establish a conference,' the voice says.

'I have actually been swamped recently. Please let your team know that I really value 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 person on the other side of the phone claimed there was a technological issue.

Two of Ms Simms's buddies were likewise in the video conference, one of two Ms Simms believed she had had with Brosnan, and were both fooled, insisting she was not an 'moron'.

Among them, artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It looked like his real face. He said his kid had actually set it up for him. He said the sound 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 reserved, Mr Brosnan put out a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a fulfill and welcome'

The real Pierce's art work. Mrs Simms promoted ₤ 500 'satisfy and welcome' tickets with the deepfake Mr Brosnan

Another painting the genuine Mr Brosnan. Mrs Simms says she wishes the star would acknowledge her as a victim instead of a villain

Others have reported being contacted by a fake Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan. Pictured: One of the genuine Mr Brosnan's paintings

Sickening AI-generated child abuse images are doubling every six months, Britain's FBI alerts

Meanwhile, after Ms Simms reserved and marketed her show, clashofcryptos.trade the real Mr Brosnan saw an ad for the exhibition including his art online and released a statement damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a satisfy and welcome'.

His lawyers sent her an immediate cease-and-desist letter in November 2023, 3 days after she marketed the ₤ 500 VIP meet-and-greet tickets.

A 'frightened' Ms Simms realised her mistake and tearfully recalled: 'It was the worst time of my life and it tainted my reputation.

'Pierce harmed me by releasing the declaration. He ought to have done more research before he did due to the fact that he would realise I was only a fan reaching out however 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 truly took place and set the tone.

'I do not dislike him, because he is a victim too. People abused his photo. If I understood it wasn't him, I would never ever have actually set up the exhibit or offered the tickets.'

An image by Piers Brosnan portraying a green location on the coast

Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets however was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the incident left her credibility in tatters. Pictured: A painting by Pierce Brosnan

Among the genuine Pierce Brosnan's paintings illustrating a lady lying down

As quickly as she understood she had actually been fooled, Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets however was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the legend left her track record in tatters, with lots of still thinking she had actually attempted to rip-off them.

Others have actually reported being called by a fake Facebook account, accc.rcec.sinica.edu.tw claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his films is their favourite before requesting for users.atw.hu cash.

It comes as last month The Mail revealed how a separated female was duped into handing over ₤ 700,000 to a scammer posturing as Brad Pitt and requested cash to fund his immediate kidney cancer treatment.

Mr Brosnan has been approached for comment.

NottinghamPierce BrosnanHawaii