Spanish authorities recently revealed the arrest of five individuals this year on fraud and money laundering charges for impersonating Brad Pitt online and scamming two women out of more than $350,000.

The arrests were made public in a statement by Spain’s Interior Ministry on September 23. Three of the suspects were detained in November, with two additional arrests following in July.

It was reported that the accused contacted the women through an online fan page dedicated to the Oscar-winning actor. Pretending to be Pitt, they exchanged messages and emails with the victims, who believed they were communicating directly with the famous actor.

The scammers “managed to convince these women that they had formed a close, romantic relationship with the well-known American actor,” the statement explained.

After gaining their trust, the impostors requested money. One victim sent approximately $168,000, while the other transferred around $195,500. So far, authorities have recovered only $94,000 as part of their ongoing investigation.

Brad Pitt’s publicist, Matthew Hiltzik, issued a statement, expressing dismay at the situation: “It’s terrible that scammers exploit fans’ strong connections with celebrities. This serves as an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online messages, especially from actors who have no presence on social media.”

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star remains offline and does not have official social media accounts on platforms like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and others.

Pitt has been busy promoting his upcoming crime comedy Wolfs, which will be available to stream on Apple TV+ starting September 27.