Brad Pitt has spoken out after learning that his AI likeness was exploited by an online scammer to swindle a French woman out of an astonishing $851,000. The 61-year-old actor expressed his shock and outrage upon discovering that someone had deceived the woman, who fell victim to a fraudulent scheme.

The woman, named Anne and aged 53, became convinced she was in a romantic relationship with Pitt after nearly 18 months of online correspondence. The impersonator, using Pitt’s likeness, captivated her with declarations of love and even proposed marriage, prompting Anne to divorce her wealthy husband, who was 19 years older than her.

Initially, Anne paid customs fees for luxury handbags the fake Pitt had promised her, but as the scam developed, the fraudsters intensified their tactics. They claimed that the actor was hospitalized with kidney cancer and urgently required funds for treatment, persuading her to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars. In a tearful television interview, Anne shared her experience of being manipulated into believing the false storyline, as reported by American media.

The impersonator claimed he couldn’t access his own funds due to an ongoing divorce from Angelina Jolie, further backing his requests for money with pictures of himself in a hospital bed. Anne recounted that her daughter had tried to warn her about the possibility of being scammed, but she was convinced by the fabricated evidence of her relationship with Pitt.

Her doubts only arose when she saw social media posts of Pitt with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, but by then she had already lost around $850,000.

After the news broke last week, Pitt issued a statement through a spokesperson, describing the situation as “awful,” noting that scammers exploit the strong connection between fans and celebrities. He reminded the public to be cautious and avoid responding to unsolicited online messages, particularly from actors not verified on social media.

The French Police are currently investigating this scam designed to defraud unsuspecting victims of large sums of money.

Arsenal overcame an early deficit to secure a pivotal 2-1 victory against Tottenham, trimming the gap with league leaders Liverpool to just four points. This win marked a significant turnaround for the Gunners, who had struggled in their recent outings, not securing a win in their last four matches across all competitions.

Despite the stiff competition and Liverpool holding a game in hand, Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta remains confident in his team’s ability to contend for the title. “Yeah, we are [title contenders]. There’s so much to play for, and we can see the challenges every team faces,” Arteta affirmed post-match.

The victory was especially sweet following a rough patch that included being ousted from the FA Cup by Manchester United and a disappointing loss to Newcastle in the League Cup. An earlier league draw against Brighton had further dampened their title hopes, leaving Arsenal as the underdogs in their quest for their first league title since 2004.

Arteta praised his team’s resilience and desire to rebound from their setbacks, emphasizing the importance of their response to adversity. “We were sensational. It was a big test after two disappointing games, and the boys showed they wanted more. They’ve proved it today, just 72 hours after a grueling 120 minutes against Manchester United,” he explained.

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice echoed his manager’s sentiments, feeling that the team could have won by a much larger margin. “The first half was pure domination. It felt like we could have scored 10, given our performance,” Rice commented.

Rice, who played through an injury, also addressed his critics, highlighting his commitment and the challenges of playing for a high-profile club like Arsenal. With an eye on Liverpool, Rice noted the importance of capitalizing on any slips by their rivals to keep their title hopes alive.

Arteta concluded by underscoring his unwavering confidence, which is rooted in his team’s daily performances rather than fluctuating with every match result. As Arsenal prepares for their next challenge against Aston Villa, the team remains hopeful and focused on maintaining their title chase momentum

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian forces launched over 40 missiles in a morning assault and deployed more than 70 drones overnight.

Ukrainian air defences successfully intercepted 30 missiles and 47 drones, according to the air force. Additionally, 27 drones were accounted for as “lost,” indicating that Kyiv utilized electronic warfare to redirect them.

“This is another massive Russian attack. It’s winter now, and the Russians continue to target our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskyy stated in a social media post on the platform X. “Their objectives included gas and energy facilities vital for sustaining normal life for our people.”

The capital, Kyiv, also faced attacks, with hundreds of residents seeking refuge in underground metro stations, sleeping on yoga mats and sitting on folding chairs alongside their pets.

The governor of Ukraine’s western Lviv region reported damage to two energy facilities in the Drohobych and Stryi districts. In neighbouring Ivano-Frankivsk, the governor noted that air defences were actively repelling Russian strikes on various facilities.

The air force confirmed that gas infrastructure in the Kharkiv region, located in northeastern Ukraine, was also under attack.

In response, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure and successfully hit all assigned objectives.

Zelenskyy, who is scheduled to visit neighbouring Poland on Wednesday, reiterated his appeals to Western allies for enhanced support for Ukraine’s air defence systems. “We have discussed obtaining licenses for the production of air defence systems and their missiles, which could provide effective security guarantees for Ukraine. This is both realistic and necessary to implement,” he emphasized.

Amidst the attacks, Ukraine’s national grid operator, Ukrenergo, informed emergency power outages in multiple regions following what it described as a “massive” Russian airstrike on its installations. Affected areas include Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kirovohrad.

In a separate statement, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko indicated that “preventative measures” regarding the country’s energy distribution were also being enacted.

Earlier that morning, authorities issued a nationwide air alert, warning of incoming Russian cruise missiles. The Air Force advised residents of Kryvyi Rig to take cover, stating, “A missile from the south is headed in your direction!” It also warned of a “group of cruise missiles” approaching the capital, Kyiv.

Throughout nearly three years of conflict with Ukraine, Russia has consistently targeted energy infrastructure, particularly during the harsh winter months.