It was the dream finalizing for the owner of an unidentified Nottingham gallery - an exhibition featuring the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, who would also participate in to satisfy fans.
But the gallery's owner has revealed how her livelihood and track record were 'destroyed' after the Pierce Brosnan with whom she spent months working out the exhibition 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 succumbed to the sophisticated expert system (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 lovers with the guarantee of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, only to find she had been fooled.
Scammers used AI to produce a convincing likeness of Mr Brosnan video-calling her from his ₤ 80million home in Hawaii.
Ms Simms recalled 'how genuine' he appeared on Zoom and how she 'screeched with enjoyment that he remained in my living-room speaking with me' before taking the bait and sending out the fraudsters ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping costs' for the art.
Her nightmare started when she what she thought to be Mr Brosnan's genuine Facebook page at the start of 2023 and asked if he would display 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, including 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, left) fell victim to a scam 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, code.snapstream.com who scammers had 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 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 discusses the forthcoming exhibition.
'Simone, it's Pierce Brosnan here, how's it going? Just wanted to apologise for not having the ability to establish a conference,' the voice states.
'I've been swamped recently. Please let your group understand that I genuinely 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 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 likewise in the video meeting, one of two Ms Simms believed she had had with Brosnan, and were both deceived, insisting she was not an 'moron'.
Among them, photorum.eclat-mauve.fr artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It looked like his genuine face. He said his kid had actually set it up for him. He said the sound issue was on our end. It carried on for annunciogratis.net 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 charge for setiathome.berkeley.edu a meet and greet'
The real Pierce's art work. Mrs Simms marketed ₤ 500 'satisfy and greet' 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 gotten in touch with by a fake Facebook account, surgiteams.com claiming to be Mr Brosnan. Pictured: One of the real Mr Brosnan's paintings
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Meanwhile, after Ms Simms scheduled and marketed her show, the real Mr Brosnan saw an ad for the exhibition including his art online and released a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never charge for a fulfill and welcome'.
His legal representatives 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: surgiteams.com 'It was the worst time of my life and it tainted my reputation.
'Pierce hurt me by issuing the declaration. He ought to have done more research study before he did since he would understand I was only a fan reaching out however he villainised me which's where it began to fail.
'I wish he would acknowledge me as a victim and not as a villain. He needs to inform the public about what genuinely took place and set the tone.
'I don't dislike him, due to the fact that he is a victim too. People abused his photo. If I understood it wasn't him, I would never have set up the exhibit or sold the tickets.'
An image by Piers Brosnan portraying a green area on the coast
Ms Simms reimbursed the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was required to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the event left her track record in tatters. Pictured: A painting by Pierce Brosnan
Among the real Pierce Brosnan's paintings depicting a female resting
As quickly as she realised she had been fooled, Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was required to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the legend left her credibility in tatters, with lots of still believing she had tried to rip-off them.
Others have actually reported being contacted by a phony Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his films is their preferred before asking for cash.
It comes as last month The Mail exposed how a separated woman was deceived into turning over ₤ 700,000 to a scammer impersonating Brad Pitt and requested money to money his immediate 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
fostermcintire edited this page 2025-02-09 19:30:37 +01:00