A Louisiana woman has lost more than $10,000 to a scammer who posed as rock star Jon Bon Jovi. The fraudster used AI-generated videos to keep her convinced for months.
Leslie Pickett, a fan since the age of 14, told her story for National Geographic’s documentary “Super Scam Me.” The film’s host, journalist Mariana van Zeller, investigated the case.
It started in late 2024. Pickett left a comment on Bon Jovi’s verified Instagram page. Soon after, an unverified account messaged her. The sender said the singer wanted to talk to fans privately.
The chats grew more personal. The impostor professed love and sent flowers. He also shared videos that looked real. One relative even believed they showed the singer. He later claimed that Bon Jovi and his wife had secretly filed for divorce.
Then the pressure began. According to van Zeller, the scammer waited seven months before asking for money.
By July 2025, he said he was travelling to Louisiana to meet her. He sent photos supposedly taken at a local hotel. He then demanded more cash for a so-called security clearance. Finally, he asked for a much larger sum in Bitcoin. That request made Pickett suspicious.
She turned to van Zeller for help. With a former hacker, they traced the suspect’s internet protocol address to Lagos, Nigeria. They also used Google Earth to spot a property they believed was linked to the operation. Neither claim has been independently verified.
Pickett said the betrayal left her devastated. She added that the losses nearly cost her her home.
Van Zeller said the case shows how realistic AI-made videos can help scammers win trust before they ask for money.
