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It was the dream finalizing for the owner of an unidentified Nottingham gallery - an exhibit including the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, who would likewise take care of meet fans.

But the gallery's owner has revealed how her livelihood and credibility 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 however a 'deepfake'.

Simone Simms has promoted the very first time about how she fell for the sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) fraud 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 pledge of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, just to find she had been duped.

Scammers used AI to create a convincing 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 enjoyment that he remained in my living-room speaking to me' before taking the bait and sending out the ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping charges' for the art.

Her nightmare began when she contacted what she believed to be Mr Brosnan's genuine Facebook page at the start of 2023 and asked if he would show his paintings at her venue.

She then says she was contacted by what she believed was the star and around 200 messages were exchanged in between them on the Telegram messaging app, including a variety of voice notes discussing the exhibit.

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

Mrs Simms (envisioned, left) succumbed to a rip-off that resulted in her losing her ₤ 30,000 art gallery

More than 20,000 tickets were offered with the promise of meeting 71-year-old Brosnan, who fraudsters had actually deepfaked to resemble he was calling Mrs Simms from his ₤ 80million home in Hawaii

A Pierce Brosnan painting. Mrs Simms exchanged 200 messages through Telegram with who she believed 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 talks about the upcoming 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 group understand that I really value the invitation to the art exhibit.

'I have high expectations it will be a substantial success.'

In a subsequent video call, Mr Brosnan's image appeared on the screen but the sound was off. Messages from the individual on the other side of the phone claimed there was a technological problem.

Two of Ms Simms's friends were likewise in the video conference, one of 2 Ms Simms thought she had had with Brosnan, and were both deceived, insisting she was not an 'moron'.

One of them, artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It looked like his genuine face. He said his child had set it up for him. He said the sound problem was on our end. It brought on for oke.zone a while.'

Pierce Brosnan at the Art Miami VIP opening in Miami Florida

After the fake occasion was reserved, Mr Brosnan put out a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never charge for a meet and greet'

The genuine Pierce's artwork. Mrs Simms advertised ₤ 500 'meet and greet' tickets with the deepfake Mr Brosnan

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

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

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Meanwhile, after Ms Simms booked and marketed her show, the real Mr Brosnan saw an advertisement for the exhibition featuring his art online and released a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a satisfy and welcome'.

His legal representatives sent her an instant cease-and-desist letter in November 2023, three days after she promoted the ₤ 500 VIP meet-and-greet tickets.

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

'Pierce injured me by providing the statement. He needs to have done more research study before he did because he would realise I was only a fan reaching out however 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 genuinely occurred and set the tone.

'I do not hate him, since he is a victim too. People abused his photo. If I understood it wasn't him, I would never have established the exhibit or offered the tickets.'

A photo 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 event left her reputation in tatters. Pictured: A painting by Pierce Brosnan

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

As quickly as she realised she had actually been duped, Ms Simms reimbursed the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the legend left her reputation in tatters, with numerous still thinking she had attempted to fraud them.

Others have actually reported being called by a phony Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his movies is their preferred before asking for cash.

It comes as last month The Mail revealed how a divorced lady was fooled into handing over ₤ 700,000 to a fraudster impersonating Brad Pitt and asked for cash to fund his urgent kidney cancer treatment.

Mr Brosnan has been approached for comment.

NottinghamPierce BrosnanHawaii