It was the dream signing for dokuwiki.stream the owner of an unknown Nottingham gallery - an exhibit featuring the work of Hollywood actor-turned-artist Pierce Brosnan, who would likewise address meet fans.
But the gallery's owner has exposed how her livelihood and credibility were 'ruined' after the Pierce Brosnan with whom she spent months negotiating the exhibit of a lifetime turned out not to be the Bond star but a 'deepfake'.
Simone Simms has spoken for the very first time about how she fell for the elaborate artificial intelligence (AI) fraud which resulted in her losing her ₤ 30,000 Long Eaton gallery.
Ms Simms informed The Mail on Sunday she was 'villainised' after selling ₤ 20,000 worth of tickets to art enthusiasts with the promise of conference 71-year-old Brosnan, just to find she had been duped.
Scammers utilized AI to generate a convincing similarity of Mr Brosnan video-calling her from his ₤ 80million house in Hawaii.
Ms Simms recalled 'how real' he appeared on Zoom and how she 'squealed with excitement that he remained in my living-room speaking with me' before taking the bait and sending out the scammers ₤ 3,000 for 'shipping fees' for the art.
Her problem started when she called what she believed to be Mr Brosnan's legitimate Facebook page at the start of 2023 and asked if he would display his paintings at her venue.
She then states she was called by what she thought was the star and around 200 messages were exchanged between them on the Telegram messaging app, including a number of voice notes going over the exhibit.
The AI deepfake of 007 star Pierce Brosnan that duped art gallery owner Simone Simms
Mrs Simms (imagined, 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 promise of conference 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 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, bytes-the-dust.com a voice with Mr Brosnan's unique Irish accent discusses the upcoming exhibit.
'Simone, it's Pierce Brosnan here, ura.cc how's it going? Just wished to apologise for not being able to establish a conference,' the voice states.
'I've been overloaded lately. Please let your team know that I genuinely appreciate the invite 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 however the noise was off. Messages from the individual 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, fishtanklive.wiki one of 2 Ms Simms believed she had actually had with Brosnan, and were both tricked, insisting she was not an .
Among them, artist Neil Adcock, said: 'It appeared like his real face. He said his son 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 fake event was reserved, Mr Brosnan put out a statement damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never ever charge for a meet and greet'
The real Pierce's art work. Mrs Simms advertised ₤ 500 'meet and greet' tickets with the deepfake Mr Brosnan
Another painting the real Mr Brosnan. Mrs Simms says she wants the actor would acknowledge her as a victim instead of a villain
Others have actually reported being called by a fake Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan. Pictured: Among the genuine Mr Brosnan's paintings
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Meanwhile, after Ms Simms scheduled and marketed her show, the genuine Mr Brosnan saw an ad for the exhibit featuring his art online and issued a declaration damning the gallery, insisting he 'would never charge for a meet 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 'horrified' Ms Simms realised her mistake and tearfully remembered: 'It was the worst time of my life and it tainted my credibility.
'Pierce injured me by releasing the statement. He should have done more research study before he did due to the fact that he would understand I was just a fan connecting but he villainised me and that's where it began to fail.
'I wish he would acknowledge me as a victim and not as a villain. He needs to tell the general public about what really took place and set the tone.
'I don't hate him, because he is a victim too. People abused his picture. If I understood it wasn't him, I would never ever have set up the exhibition or sold the tickets.'
An image by Piers Brosnan illustrating a green location on the coast
Ms Simms refunded the ₤ 20,000 in tickets but was forced to shut her gallery in August 2024 after the event left her track record in tatters. Pictured: A painting by Pierce Brosnan
One of the genuine Pierce Brosnan's paintings portraying a woman resting
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 saga left her credibility in tatters, with many still thinking she had attempted to rip-off them.
Others have actually reported being gotten in touch with by a phony Facebook account, claiming to be Mr Brosnan, asking which of his movies is their favourite before asking for cash.
It comes as last month The Mail revealed how a separated woman was deceived into handing over ₤ 700,000 to a scammer positioning as Brad Pitt and requested money to money his immediate kidney cancer treatment.
Mr Brosnan has actually been approached for clashofcryptos.trade remark.
NottinghamPierce BrosnanHawaii
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How aI Deepfake of 007 Star Left Art Gallery Owner's World in Tatters
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