Cecily Brown petitions Google to unmask identity theft scammer

British painter Cecily Brown has filed a petition in Manhattan Supreme Court to compel Google to reveal the identity of an individual using a fraudulent Gmail account to impersonate her.

The scammer allegedly used the email address ‘aujourdhuiroseart@gmail.com’, a reference to one of Brown’s most famous works held at the National Gallery of Art. According to court filings, the perpetrator has been contacting other artists with messages expressing gratitude for their social media support before pivoting to pitches for ‘exciting professional opportunities.’

Brown first discovered the scheme in July after a colleague forwarded her a copy of one of the fraudulent emails. Although she issued a cease-and-desist letter to the address, she received no response. The artist has since used her Instagram platform to warn her followers of the impersonation. The legal action is a procedural step intended to identify the individual so that Brown can pursue a lawsuit.