Popular French Artist Grand Corps Malade Targeted in Elaborate Scam, Lawyer Loses $30,000
Montreal, Quebec – A lawyer in Montreal, identified as Stéphanie, has been defrauded of $30,000 Canadian dollars by an individual impersonating French artist Grand Corps Malade (Fabien Marsaud). The scam, revealed by BFM TV, highlights a sophisticated tactic exploiting the artist’s perceived accessibility to fans.
Stéphanie was initially contacted via Facebook Messenger by someone claiming to be Marsaud.she recognized the name as the artist’s real first and last name, and recalled a Canadian radio commentator noting Grand Corps Malade’s habit of engaging with his fanbase.
The scammer did not initiate the contact with romantic overtures, a common tactic in online fraud. Instead, the imposter claimed that fraudulent profiles were being created in his name to scam others. he requested financial assistance from Stéphanie to help combat these online scams, promising reimbursement.
“I would like to be able to count on your help on this matter. There are people creating profiles pretending to be me, I hope you understand me?” the scammer wrote, according to Stéphanie.
To convince her, the fraudster sent a purported transfer order for $30,000 Canadian dollars, claiming his bank account was temporarily blocked for cybersecurity reasons. Stéphanie advanced the funds,anticipating the promised reimbursement on July 22nd.
“I lost this money because I had a transfer order that he had sent me telling me that his account at the Postal Bank was blocked for cybersecurity reasons,” Stéphanie explained. “I had a transfer order addressed to my account, in my name, for 30,000 Canadian dollars. I was supposed to receive the transfer on July 22. That’s why I advanced funds, knowing that I was going to have a transfer.”
Authorities have not yet commented on the inquiry, and it is unlikely Stéphanie will recover her lost funds. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the evolving tactics employed by online scammers and the importance of verifying identities, even when seemingly interacting with public figures. Grand Corps Malade is known for his spoken word performances and has a significant following internationally, including a scheduled performance at the Francos festival in Montreal in 2025.
