Anna Delvey

{{Short description|Russian-born German fraudster (born 1991)}} {{good article}} {{Use American English|date=March 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox criminal | name = Anna Delvey | image = AnnaDelvey-byPhilipRomano.jpg | alt = Black-and-white headshot of Delvey. | caption = Delvey in 2025 | native_name = | native_name_lang = ru | birth_name = <!-- Please see talk page discussion before adding a birth name. --> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|1|23}} | birth_place = Domodedovo, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | other_names = {{ubl | Anna Sorokin | Anna Sorokina<ref name=against/> | Anna Sorokin-Delvey<ref name=against/> | }} | conviction = {{Start date and age|2019|04|25}} | charge = Grand larceny, second-degree larceny, theft of services | conviction_penalty = 4 to 12 years imprisonment, $24,000 fine, $199,000 restitution | conviction_status = NYSDOC #19G0366; Released from New York State custody in February&nbsp;2021; currently under house arrest in the United States | citizenship = {{hlist|Russia<ref name="Guilty"/>|Germany<ref name=detained/>}} }}

'''Anna Sorokin'''<!-- Please see talk page discussion before adding "Vadimovna" as a patronym. --> ({{langx|ru|Анна Сорокина|Anna Sorokina}}, {{IPA|ru|ˈanːə sɐˈrokʲɪnɐ|pron}}; born January 23, 1991), also known as '''Anna Delvey''', is a<!-- DO NOT ADD "German'"; see talk page. --> con artist and fraudster who posed as a wealthy heiress to access upper-class New York social and art scenes from 2013 to 2017.

Born near Moscow, Delvey emigrated from Russia to Germany with her family at the age of 16 in 2007. In 2011, at the age of 20, Delvey left Germany to live in London and Paris. In 2013, Delvey relocated to New York City, where she interned for the French fashion magazine ''Purple''. She conceived of a private members' club and arts foundation, which included leasing a large building to feature pop-up shops and exhibitions by notable artists she met while interning. She later created fake financial documents to substantiate her claims of having a multi-million-euro trust fund and forged multiple wire transfer confirmations. She used these documents, as well as fraudulent checks, to trick banks, acquaintances, and realtors into paying out cash and granting large loans without collateral. She used this to fund her lavish lifestyle, including residencies in multiple upscale hotels.

Between 2013 and 2017, Delvey defrauded and deceived major financial institutions, banks, hotels, and individuals. In 2017, the NYPD arrested Delvey in a sting operation with the help of her former friend, Rachel DeLoache Williams, who accused Delvey of defrauding her of US$62,000. In 2019, a New York state court convicted Delvey of attempted grand larceny, larceny in the second degree, and theft of services, and she was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison. After serving two years, she was released on parole. Six weeks later, she was taken into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation to Germany. In October 2022, after 19 months of detention, Delvey was granted a $10,000 bail bond and released to house arrest.

Delvey's story gained publicity when Williams wrote a lengthy article in ''Vanity Fair'' about her experiences with Delvey in 2018. She expanded on the story in her book ''My Friend Anna'' (2019). The same year, journalist Jessica Pressler wrote an article for ''New York'' about Delvey's life as a socialite; Netflix paid Delvey $320,000 for the rights to her story and developed it into the miniseries ''Inventing Anna'' (2022). Delvey's life story has been the subject of multiple other television shows, interviews, podcasts, and theater productions.

==Early life== [[File:Lenin place.JPG|thumb|Her birthplace Domodedovo, a satellite town south of Moscow]] Delvey was born on January 23, 1991, in Domodedovo, a working-class satellite town south of Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in the Soviet Union.<ref name=unique>{{Cite news |url= https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/breaking-down-julia-garners-unique-accent-on-inventing-anna/2888185/ |title= Breaking Down Julia Garner's Unique Accent on 'Inventing Anna' |first= Cydney |last=Contreras |work=NBC News |date=February 12, 2022 |access-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 13, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220213053923/https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/breaking-down-julia-garners-unique-accent-on-inventing-anna/2888185/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Her father, Vadim, worked as a truck driver and her mother owned a small convenience store. In 2007, when Delvey was 16, her family relocated to North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. There, her father became an executive at a transport company until the company became insolvent in 2013. He then opened an HVAC business specializing in efficient energy use. Delvey's mother was a housewife.<ref name=Tricked/> Delvey attended the Bischöfliche Liebfrauenschule Eschweiler (Episcopal School of Our Lady of Eschweiler), a Catholic grammar school in Eschweiler. Peers said she was quiet and struggled with the German language.<ref name=Tricked>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thecut.com/2018/05/how-anna-delvey-tricked-new-york.html |title=How an Aspiring 'It' Girl Tricked New York's Party People – and Its Banks |author-link=Jessica Pressler |last=Pressler |first=Jessica |work=The Cut |date=May 28, 2018 |archive-date=January 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124141842/https://www.thecut.com/2018/05/how-anna-delvey-tricked-new-york.html |url-status=live}}</ref> As a young adult, Delvey obsessively followed ''Vogue'', fashion blogs, and image accounts on LiveJournal and Flickr.<ref name=parents>{{cite news |url=https://www.insider.com/inventing-anna-netflix-real-life-delvey-sorokin-family-relationship-2022-2 |author-first1=Jacob|author-last1=Shamsian|date=11 February 2022|title='My parents did not really know what to do with me': Real-life scammer Anna Sorokin explains the tense family relationship in 'Inventing Anna' |work=Insider |access-date=February 18, 2022 |archive-date=February 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042817/https://www.insider.com/inventing-anna-netflix-real-life-delvey-sorokin-family-relationship-2022-2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

After graduating from the school in June 2011, Delvey moved to London to attend Central Saint Martins, an art school, but soon dropped out and returned to Germany.<ref name=parents/> In 2012, she briefly interned at a public relations company in Berlin. Delvey then relocated to Paris, where she earned around €400 per month at an internship for ''Purple'', a French fashion magazine.<ref name=Conned/> Delvey did not contact her parents often, but they subsidized her rent.<ref name=Tricked/><ref name=parents/><ref name="Conned" /> Around that time, she adopted the "Delvey" surname, which she said was based on her mother's maiden name. Delvey's parents, however, said they do not recognize the surname.<ref name=Conned>{{cite news |last=Palmer |first=Emily |title=A Fake Heiress Called Anna Delvey Conned the City's Wealthy. 'I'm Not Sorry,' She Says. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/10/nyregion/anna-delvey-sorokin.html |work=The New York Times |url-access=subscription |date=May 10, 2019 |archive-date=April 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403130655/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/10/nyregion/anna-delvey-sorokin.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Fraud== thumb|upright|Church Missions House In mid-2013, Delvey traveled to New York City to attend New York Fashion Week. Finding it easier to make friends in New York than Paris, she opted to stay, transferring to ''Purple''{{'}}s New York office for a brief time.<ref name=Conned/> After quitting ''Purple'', Delvey came up with the idea of the "Anna Delvey Foundation"—a private members' club and art foundation—and unsuccessfully sought funding from wealthy members of the city's social scene. Her proposal included leasing the entire Church Missions House, comprising six floors and {{cvt|45,000|sqft}} and owned by Aby Rosen's RFR Holdings, as a multipurpose events venue and art studio, where she planned a visual arts center with pop-up shops curated by artist Daniel Arsham, one of her acquaintances from her internship, and exhibitions by Urs Fischer, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, and Tracey Emin.<ref name=Tricked/> She received planning help from the son of architect Santiago Calatrava.<ref name=2years/> She also discussed the sale of drinks at the venue with Roo Rogers.<ref name=Bizarre/>

DJ Elle Dee described a strange encounter with Delvey at a party in May 2014 in Montauk, New York, where Delvey pretended to be a wealthy heiress and bragged about the brands of clothes she was wearing, but also asked partygoers for a place to sleep. After they declined, she slept in a car. Dee also attended another party that Delvey organized at The Standard, High Line saying about the attendees that: "She barely knew them—as if it was maybe the second time they'd ever met, kind of like us. Everyone just sat around, quietly staring at their own phones." Dee called Delvey "entitled and mean," particularly to people in the service industry. She castigated people who did not have many followers on Instagram and bragged that she was going to rent a $12,000-per-month six-bedroom rooftop apartment. Dee also said that Delvey often relied on her and other acquaintances to pay her expenses, claiming she had forgotten her wallet or that it was an emergency and her credit cards did not work, shedding crocodile tears that dried up quickly when she realized the scheme would not work.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50662268 | title=My Anna Delvey story: Strange encounters with a fake heiress | first=Elle | last=Dee | work=BBC News | date=December 16, 2019 | access-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217140351/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50662268 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2015, Delvey met the art collector and University of Pennsylvania student Michael Xufu Huang at a dinner party. Learning that Huang planned to attend the Venice Biennale, Delvey asked whether she could accompany him. Huang agreed and booked a flight and hotel room for Delvey on the understanding that he would be reimbursed for the $2,000–$3,000 cost. On their return to New York, Delvey appeared to "forget" the arrangement and failed to pay.<ref name=Museum>{{cite news | last=Kinsella | first=Eileen | title=Convicted Fraudster Anna Delvey Conned Collector Michael Xufu Huang. That Didn't Stop Him From Hanging Her Portrait in His New Museum | url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/michael-xufu-huang-anna-delvey-1930018 | work=Artnet | date=December 10, 2020 | archive-date=May 6, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506153433/https://news.artnet.com/art-world/michael-xufu-huang-anna-delvey-1930018 | url-status=live}}</ref> Huang initially assumed that Delvey was simply absent-minded. Also in 2015, Delvey attended Art Basel in Miami Beach. She hired a public relations firm to book a birthday party for herself at Sadelle's restaurant in January 2016; after her credit card was declined and pictures of Huang at the event were posted on social media, restaurant staff asked Huang for Delvey's contact details. At this time Huang became suspicious of Delvey and noticed that she always paid with cash and lived in a hotel, not an apartment.<ref name=Tricked/> He was eventually repaid from a Venmo account with an unfamiliar name. He then blocked Delvey's access to him on social media, ending their friendship.<ref name=Museum/>

In February 2016, while Delvey was living in a hotel room in The Standard, High Line, she met Rachel DeLoache Williams, then a photo editor at ''Vanity Fair'', at a nightclub. Williams became close friends with Delvey and was later instrumental in her arrest.<ref name=shepaid/>

Delvey used Microsoft Word to create fake bank statements and other financial documents purporting to show that she had €60 million in Swiss bank accounts but could not access them since they were in trust and she was in the U.S.<ref name=Tricked/><ref name=2years/><ref name=Conned/> One of her acquaintances put her in touch with lawyer Andrew Lance<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newsweek.com/alan-reed-inventing-anna-real-person-andrew-lance-true-story-1680243 | title=All you need to know about Alan Reed in 'Inventing Anna' | website=Newsweek | date=February 17, 2022 }}</ref> at Gibson Dunn, who in turn put her in touch with several large financial institutions, including City National Bank and Fortress Investment Group.<ref name=Tricked/> In November 2016, Delvey submitted false documents as part of a loan application for $22 million to City National.<ref name=Guilty>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/nyregion/anna-delvey-sorokin-verdict.html | title=Fake Heiress Who Swindled N.Y.'s Elite Is Found Guilty | last1=Ransom | first1=Jan | last2=Palmer | first2=Emily | work=The New York Times | date=April 25, 2019 | url-access=subscription | issn=0362-4331 | archive-date=November 15, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115131559/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/nyregion/anna-delvey-sorokin-verdict.html | url-status=live}}</ref> City National refused to extend credit when Delvey failed to provide the source of the Swiss assets, and she then applied for a loan from Fortress. Fortress agreed to consider the application if Delvey paid $100,000 to cover legal expenses relating to the application. In December 2016, with Delvey unable to pay rent, the Church Missions House was leased to Fotografiska New York.<ref name=Tricked/>

On January 12, 2017, Delvey convinced City National to grant her a temporary overdraft facility for $100,000, on the promise that it would be repaid promptly. She provided fake AOL email addresses for "Peter Hennecke", a nonexistent business manager; when suspicions arose, Delvey claimed that he had died, and invented a new persona, "Bettina Wagner".<ref name=Tricked/><ref name=Guilty/> Prosecutors in her trial later showed that she had used Google to query "create fake untraceable email".<ref name=2years/> Delvey remitted the $100,000 to Fortress for the loan application but a managing director at Fortress became suspicious of Delvey's application due to discrepancies in her paperwork: for example, she claimed to be of German heritage, but her passport said she was born in Russia. When the director arranged to verify Delvey's assets by meeting her bankers in Switzerland, she withdrew the loan application. In February 2017, the $55,000 portion of the overdraft not spent by Fortress as part of the due diligence process was returned to Delvey.<ref name=Guilty/><ref name=Tricked/> She then spent lavishly on luxury clothes, electronics, and a personal trainer, as well as $800 hair highlighting and $400 eyelash extensions.<ref name=Tricked/>

On February 18, 2017, Delvey checked into a $400/night room at the 11 Howard hotel in Soho, Manhattan.<ref name=Tricked/> She often gave a $100 cash gratuity to the concierge, whom she befriended, and other employees for simple tasks such as restaurant recommendations or bringing packages to her room.<ref name=Tricked/> Still, most of the staff found Delvey annoying and described her comments as impolite and classist.<ref name=Tricked/> Delvey became comfortable at the hotel and regularly walked around in leggings or a hotel robe, often dining at Le Coucou, the hotel restaurant, where she befriended chef Daniel Rose<ref name=shepaid/> and billed her meals to her room.<ref name=Tricked/> She treated the concierge to massages, manicures, and sessions with the celebrity personal trainer Kacy Duke.<ref name=Tricked/>

After management discovered that there was no credit card on file for Delvey, they insisted that she settle her $30,000 bill. Delvey had a case of 1975 Dom Pérignon champagne delivered to the staff in an attempt to keep them on her side; hotel policy prevented the staff from accepting it.<ref name=Tricked/> By March 2017, Delvey had run out of money. She would offer to take friends out for drinks and dinner but when it was time to pay the bill, she would claim that she had forgotten her credit cards or that her credit cards would not work.<ref name=Guilty/> By this time, Delvey was very active in the New York social scene; she attended dinner parties where she met Macaulay Culkin and Martin Shkreli.<ref name=Tricked/>

In April 2017, Delvey deposited $160,000 worth of fraudulent checks into a Citibank account, from which she was able to withdraw $70,000.<ref name=against>{{Cite web | url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14578484/2019/03/sorokin-sof.pdf | title=The People of the State of New York – against Anna Sorokin Defendant | publisher=CBS News | access-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-date=February 11, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211153315/https://newyork.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14578484/2019/03/sorokin-sof.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref> She then wired $30,000 to 11 Howard to pay the outstanding bill.<ref name=Tricked/>

In May 2017, by sending a forged wire transfer confirmation from Deutsche Bank for the $35,390 fee, Delvey booked a return charter flight on a business jet via Blade Air Mobility to Omaha, Nebraska, to attend the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway with the goal of meeting Warren Buffett.<ref name=Tricked/><ref name=Managed>{{cite magazine | title=How Anna Delvey Managed to Scam Her Way Into a $35,000 Charter Plane Ride | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/anna-delvey-trial-soho-grifter-blade-startup-819435/ | magazine=Rolling Stone | last=Dickson | first=E. J. | date=April 9, 2019 | archive-date=June 5, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605171441/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/anna-delvey-trial-soho-grifter-blade-startup-819435/ | url-status=live}}</ref> Delvey had allegedly met Blade CEO Robert S. Wiesenthal, but Wiesenthal later said he did not know her at all.<ref name=Tricked/> Blade reported her to the police in August 2017 after repeated failure to pay.<ref name=Managed/> Delvey later claimed that during the trip she snuck into a private party at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, where she met Bill Gates.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/inventing-anna-netflix-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-private-jet-party-2022-2 | title='Inventing Anna' fraudster took a $35,000 private-jet trip to Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting without paying – and said she crashed Warren Buffett's VIP party |work=Markets Insider | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212053225/https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/inventing-anna-netflix-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-private-jet-party-2022-2 | url-status=live }}</ref>

thumb|upright|The Mercer Hotel Since Delvey still refused to provide a credit card to the 11 Howard hotel, the entry code to her room was changed while she was in Omaha and her belongings were placed in storage.<ref name=Tricked/> As retribution, using a tactic she learned from Martin Shkreli, she purchased the domain names corresponding to the names of the hotel managers and emailed them asking for a ransom of $1 million each.<ref name=shepaid/> After three months of living at 11 Howard, with the help of her friend Rachel DeLoache Williams, Delvey moved her belongings to The Mercer Hotel.<ref name=shepaid/> She also stayed two nights at The Bowery Hotel, sending the hotel a fake wire transfer receipt from Deutsche Bank.<ref name=Tricked/>

thumb|La Mamounia In May 2017, Delvey invited Williams, Kacy Duke, and her videographer on what she said was an "all-expenses-paid" journey to Morocco, supposedly because she needed to "reset" her Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Inspired by Khloé Kardashian, Delvey booked a $7,000/night riad with three bedrooms, a private swimming pool, and a dedicated butler at La Mamounia, a 5-star luxury hotel in Marrakesh, with plans to make "a behind-the-scenes documentary" on the creation of her foundation.<ref name=shepaid/>

After a few days, staff said that they were unable to charge Delvey's credit cards and demanded an alternative form of payment. Delvey gave excuses, blaming the staff for typing in the numbers wrong, or their systems for being down.<ref name=pretended/> The lack of a valid credit card on file led to a hotel staff member being fired.<ref name=shepaid/> Delvey convinced Williams to pay the $62,000 bill, which was more than a year of Williams' net salary,<ref name=shepaid/><ref name=Tricked/> using her work and personal credit cards, promising to reimburse her via wire transfer. Williams had also paid for the flights to Morocco, items Delvey purchased, and a private tour of Majorelle Garden using her credit cards, with promises by Delvey to be reimbursed.<ref name=2years/>

Despite repeated promises from Delvey, and one excuse after another,<ref name=shepaid/> Williams was repaid only $5,000<ref name=Tricked/> and had to borrow money from friends to pay her rent.<ref name=shepaid/> American Express later removed approximately $52,000 of the charges on her credit cards.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/07/24/anna-sorokin-victim-calls-fake-heiress-a-sociopath-an-extreme-narcissist/ | title=Anna Sorokin Case: Victim Calls Fake Heiress 'A Sociopath,' 'An Extreme Narcissist' |work=CBS News |location=New York| access-date=February 22, 2022 | archive-date=February 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222191045/https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/07/24/anna-sorokin-victim-calls-fake-heiress-a-sociopath-an-extreme-narcissist/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=2years/><ref name=shepaid>{{cite news | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/04/my-misadventure-with-the-magician-of-manhattan | title=She Paid for Everything: How a Fake Heiress Made My $62,000 Disappear | last=Williams | first=Rachel DeLoache | work=Vanity Fair | date=April 13, 2018 | archive-date=May 13, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513052015/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/04/my-misadventure-with-the-magician-of-manhattan | url-status=live}}</ref> After contacting other acquaintances who had also lent money to Delvey and were not repaid, and who had all heard different backstories on Delvey's parents' alleged wealth, Williams realized that Delvey was committing fraud.<ref name=shepaid/>

In Morocco, Delvey also stayed at Kasbah Tamadot, a Virgin Limited Edition luxury hotel,<ref name=shepaid/> and at the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Casablanca, where she asked Duke, who had already returned to New York due to a food-borne illness, to pay for the room.<ref name=Tricked/> When Duke also offered to pay for a flight back to New York for Delvey, she asked for first-class travel.<ref name=Tricked/> Delvey drank fine wines and the most expensive champagnes and took a helicopter to the airport in Casablanca.<ref name=pretended>{{Cite news | url=https://www.insideedition.com/fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-told-lie-after-lie-lavish-morocco-trip-photographer-says-52920 | title=Anna Sorokin, who pretended to be a wealthy German heiress, was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison last week. | work=Inside Edition | date=May 14, 2019 | access-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-date=February 20, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220133615/https://www.insideedition.com/fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-told-lie-after-lie-lavish-morocco-trip-photographer-says-52920 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Returning to New York later in May, Delvey relocated to the Beekman Hotel. Twenty days later, in June 2017, having accumulated a bill of $11,518 and failing to pay despite repeated promises, she was evicted. She then attempted a similar scam at the W New York Downtown Hotel and Residences, failing to pay her $503.76 bill; she was evicted after two days and charged with theft of services.<ref name=Tricked/><ref name=whoisanna>{{cite magazine | last=Dickson | first=E. J. | title=Who Is Anna Sorokin, a.k.a. Anna Delvey, the Alleged Soho Grifter? | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-soho-grifter-815047/ | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=March 29, 2019 | archive-date=May 22, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522180247/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-soho-grifter-815047/ | url-status=live}}</ref> By July 5, Delvey was homeless. She then interrupted Duke in the middle of a date, crying and pressuring her into providing lodging.<ref name=Tricked/> She also asked Williams for lodging, again in a crying tantrum; Williams refused.<ref name=shepaid/> Delvey also tried to dine and dash at the restaurant at the Le Parker Meridien hotel. When caught, she claimed to police that she could get a friend to pay the bill in five minutes.<ref name=Tricked/> At this time, the Manhattan District Attorney was investigating her for bank fraud.<ref name=shepaid/>

On August 17 and 21, 2017, Delvey allegedly deposited two bad checks worth $15,000 into her account at Signature Bank and over the next few days, she withdrew approximately $8,200 in cash before the checks were returned.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-crime-fake-heiress-idCAKCN1SF236 | title=Fake heiress who dazzled New York elite gets 4 to 12 years for fraud | work=Reuters | access-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042828/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-crime-fake-heiress-idCAKCN1SF236 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Indictment and arrest== Delvey was arrested on October 3, 2017, in a sting operation planned by Michael McCaffrey, a police officer with the New York Police Department working with the Manhattan District Attorney's office. To facilitate the sting, McCaffrey worked closely with Williams. At the time, Delvey was staying at Passages Malibu, a luxury rehab/addiction treatment facility in California.

To convince Delvey to enter a more public venue where an arrest would be more easily effected, McCaffrey had Williams arrange a lunch meeting at a restaurant outside the facility. When Delvey left the facility, Los Angeles Police Department officers arrested her.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=Anna "Delvey" Sorokin Was My Friend. Here's How I Helped Bring the Fake Heiress to Justice | url=https://time.com/5628197/anna-delvey-rachel-williams-justice/ | magazine=Time | date=July 18, 2019 | last=Williams | first=Rachel DeLoache | archive-date=May 14, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514233102/https://time.com/5628197/anna-delvey-rachel-williams-justice/ | url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=caught>{{cite news | url=https://www.insider.com/my-friend-anna-book-anna-delvey-sorokin-rachel-williams-2019-7 | title=A Vanity Fair photo editor who says she was scammed by 'SoHo grifter' Anna Delvey wrote a book – and it finally explains how she was caught | last=Shamsian | first=Jacob | work=Insider | date=July 23, 2019 | access-date=December 16, 2019 | archive-date=January 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127130932/https://www.insider.com/my-friend-anna-book-anna-delvey-sorokin-rachel-williams-2019-7 | url-status=live }}</ref> Later that month, a grand jury convened by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. indicted Delvey on two counts of attempted grand larceny in the first degree, three counts of grand larceny in the second degree, one count of grand larceny in the third degree, and one count of misdemeanor theft of services for the fraudulent loan applications made to City National and Fortress, the check fraud, the cost of the trip to Morocco, and the unpaid hotel and restaurant bills.<ref name=2years>{{cite news | last=Shamsian | first=Jacob | title=2 years ago, 26-year-old Anna Delvey was on a $62,000 vacation in Morocco. Now she's facing 15 years in prison for her elaborate 'fake heiress' scam. | url=https://www.insider.com/anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-story-fake-heiress-2019-4 | work=Insider | date=April 26, 2019 | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042836/https://www.insider.com/anna-delvey-sorokin-trial-story-fake-heiress-2019-4 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Trial, conviction, and sentence== thumb|upright=1.3|Rikers Island On December 18, 2018, Delvey appeared in New York City Criminal Court and rejected a plea deal that offered three to nine years in prison. Her trial started on March 20, 2019, presided over by Judge Diane Kiesel.<ref name=Guilty/> Until the end of the trial, Delvey was incarcerated at Rikers Island, where she had 13 infractions for misbehavior such as fighting and disobeying orders, and was placed in solitary confinement during Christmas.<ref name=Conned/>

At her request, Delvey's defense attorney arranged for a wardrobe stylist to source outfits for her court appearances.<ref>{{cite news | title=The Alleged "Soho Grifter" Is Using a Courtroom Stylist | url=https://www.gq.com/story/soho-grifter-courtroom-stylist | last=Tashjian | first=Rachel | work=GQ | date=March 28, 2019 | archive-date=June 3, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603152807/https://www.gq.com/story/soho-grifter-courtroom-stylist | url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anna-sorokin-fake-heiress-anna-delvey-sentenced-four-to-12-years-prison/ | title=Con artist who passed herself off as wealthy heiress sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison | agency=Associated Press | work=CBS News | date=May 10, 2019 | archive-date=May 11, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511140546/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anna-sorokin-fake-heiress-anna-delvey-sentenced-four-to-12-years-prison/ | url-status=live}}</ref> One day she swapped her Rikers Island uniform for a Michael Kors shift dress. The next day she paired a sheer black Saint Laurent top with Victoria Beckham trousers.<ref name="Minutaglio">{{Cite web |last=Minutaglio |first=Rose |date=February 15, 2022 |title=Yes, Anna Sorokin from 'Inventing Anna' Really Did Have Saint Laurent Sent to Her in Prison |url=https://www.elle.com/fashion/celebrity-style/a26977561/anna-delvey-sorokin-stylist-court-anastasia-walker/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |website=Elle |language=en-US |archive-date=February 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223234240/https://www.elle.com/fashion/celebrity-style/a26977561/anna-delvey-sorokin-stylist-court-anastasia-walker/ |url-status=live }}</ref> One Friday she refused to enter the courtroom because she did not want to appear in her jail-issued clothing.<ref>{{cite news | last=Friedman | first=Vanessa | title=Does This Dress Make Me Look Guilty? | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/fashion/anna-sorokin-elizabeth-holmes-card-b-court-fashion.html | work=The New York Times | date=April 26, 2019 | url-access=subscription | archive-date=June 13, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613163834/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/fashion/anna-sorokin-elizabeth-holmes-card-b-court-fashion.html | url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Shamsian | first=Jacob | title=Alleged 'socialite scammer' Anna Delvey refused to show up to court on Friday because she didn't like her outfit | url=https://www.insider.com/fake-heiress-refused-to-show-up-to-court-because-of-her-outfit-2019-3 | work=Insider | date=March 29, 2019 | access-date=June 13, 2021 | archive-date=January 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127130939/https://www.insider.com/fake-heiress-refused-to-show-up-to-court-because-of-her-outfit-2019-3 | url-status=live }}</ref>

At trial, Delvey's lawyer defended her by saying that her intent all along was to repay her debts and that she received services in exchange for publicity on Instagram. He described her as an entrepreneur, comparing her to Frank Sinatra, claiming they both created a "golden opportunity" in New York.<ref name=Bizarre>{{cite news | last=Palmer | first=Emily | title=Anna Delvey, Fake Heiress: 7 Bizarre Highlights From Her Trial | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/28/nyregion/anna-sorokin-delvey-trial.html | work=The New York Times | date=April 28, 2019 |url-access=subscription | archive-date=June 3, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603151334/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/28/nyregion/anna-sorokin-delvey-trial.html | url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 25, 2019, after deliberating for two days, the jury found Delvey guilty of eight charges, including grand larceny in the second degree, attempted grand larceny, and theft of services. Delvey was found not guilty of two other charges: one of attempted grand larceny in the first degree relating to the original loan application with City National, and one of larceny in the second degree relating to the alleged theft of $62,000 from Rachel Williams in Marrakesh.<ref name=Guilty/><ref>{{cite news | title='Fake Heiress' Anna Delvey on her time in prison and what she'll do next | url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/anna-sorokin-delvey-fake-heiress-interview-prison-q73smd9zj | url-access=subscription | last=Pullman | first=Laura | work=The Times | date=March 7, 2021 | archive-date=June 3, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603152836/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/anna-sorokin-delvey-fake-heiress-interview-prison-q73smd9zj | url-status=live}}</ref>

In an interview before her sentencing, Delvey said, "I'd be lying to you and to everyone else and to myself if I said I was sorry for anything."<ref name=pretended/> On May 9, 2019, she was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in state prison, fined $24,000, and ordered to pay restitution of $199,000, including $100,000 to City National, $70,000 to Citibank, and approximately two-thirds of the amount owed to Blade.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/nyregion/anna-delvey-sorokin-sentenced.html | title=Sorokin, Who Swindled N.Y.'s Elite, Is Sentenced to 4 to 12 Years in Prison | last=Ransom | first=Jan | work=The New York Times | date=May 9, 2019 | url-access=subscription | archive-date=November 7, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107233255/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/nyregion/anna-delvey-sorokin-sentenced.html | url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48219100 | title=Anna Sorokin: Fake heiress apologises as she is sentenced | work=BBC News | date=May 9, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510012908/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48219100 | archive-date=May 10, 2019 | url-status=live}}</ref> These amounts, as well as approximately $75,000 in legal fees related to the trial, were paid from proceeds of Delvey's $320,000 deal with Netflix; the court allowed Delvey to keep the remaining $22,000.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://decider.com/2022/02/13/netflix-paid-convicted-scammer-anna-sorokin-320000-to-adapt-her-story-for-inventing-anna/ | title=Netflix Paid Convicted Scammer Anna Sorokin $320,000 To Adapt Her Story For 'Inventing Anna' |work=Decider | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 14, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214172109/https://decider.com/2022/02/13/netflix-paid-convicted-scammer-anna-sorokin-320000-to-adapt-her-story-for-inventing-anna/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Delvey was not forced to pay the $160,000 in legal fees owed to Perkins Coie related to the unsuccessful lease of Church Missions House, $65,000 in legal fees due to Gibson Dunn related to the unsuccessful $22 million loan application, or $30,000 in legal fees due to Lowenstein Sandler.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/greedy-associates/socialite-owes-biglaw-firms-big-time-prosecutors-say/ | title=Socialite Owes BigLaw Firms Big Time, Prosecutors Say |work=FindLaw | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042835/https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/greedy-associates/socialite-owes-biglaw-firms-big-time-prosecutors-say/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

After the trial, Delvey, inmate #19G0366 of the New York State Department of Corrections,<ref name=secure>{{cite news | title=Netflix and Anna Delvey: The race to secure the story of New York's 'fake heiress' | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56113478 | last=Baker | first=Vicky | work=BBC News | date=February 20, 2021 | archive-date=June 24, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624214026/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56113478 | url-status=live}}</ref> was initially housed at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women before being transferred to Albion Correctional Facility.<ref name=caught/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/alist/anna-delvey-documentary-to-star-julia-garner-as-the-fake-heiress-on-netflix-a4279026.html | title=The Anna Delvey Netflix drama has cast its leading lady | last=Pavia | first=Lucy | date=November 5, 2019 | work=Evening Standard | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216162540/https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/alist/anna-delvey-documentary-to-star-julia-garner-as-the-fake-heiress-on-netflix-a4279026.html | archive-date=December 16, 2019 | url-status=live}}</ref> On February 11, 2021, she was released from prison on parole.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56035796 | title=Anna Sorokin: Fake heiress released from US prison | work=BBC News | date=February 12, 2021 | archive-date=February 12, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212022019/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56035796 | url-status=live}}</ref> After release, she checked in to The NoMad hotel and hired a German camera crew to follow her and film her activities.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Motion |first1=Davina |title=What 'fake heiress' Anna Delvey did next |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/what-anna-delvey-sorokin-fake-heiress-did-next |website=Tatler |access-date=September 28, 2022 |date=February 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Williams |first1=Rachel |title=Anna 'Delvey' Sorokin Almost Ruined My Life. Now She's Being Rewarded for Her Crimes |url=https://time.com/6146419/inventing-anna-rachel-williams-anna-delvey/ |magazine=Time |access-date=September 28, 2022 |date=February 10, 2022}}</ref><ref name=obsessed>{{Cite news | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/anna-delvey-sorokin-jail-netflix-show-vlog-series-b920243.html | title=Why are we all so obsessed with Anna Delvey? | work=Evening Standard | access-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219223710/https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/anna-delvey-sorokin-jail-netflix-show-vlog-series-b920243.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

==ICE custody and house arrest== Six weeks after her release on parole, on March 25, 2021, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Delvey into custody for overstaying her visa. ICE held her in a New Jersey county jail to await deportation to Germany, which she legally contested.<ref name=detained>{{cite news | title=Anna Sorokin: Fake heiress detained by US immigration authorities | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56614021 | work=BBC News | date=April 2, 2021 | archive-date=April 23, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423215758/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56614021 | url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=life>{{Cite news | last=Palmer | first=Emily | title=Anna Sorokin on 'Inventing Anna' and Life After Rikers | work=The New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/style/anna-delvey-sorokin-interview.html | date=February 14, 2022 | url-access=subscription | archive-url=https://archive.today/20220215111409/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/style/anna-delvey-sorokin-interview.html | archive-date=February 15, 2022 | url-status=live | access-date=February 15, 2022 }}</ref> An immigration judge ruled that if Delvey were freed, she "would have the ability and inclination to continue to commit fraudulent and dishonest acts".<ref>{{cite news | title=Erasing Anna: From ICE detention, Anna Delvey talks about her new Netflix show and life behind bars | url=https://www.insider.com/anna-delvey-writes-about-inventing-anna-and-life-in-jail-2022-2 | work=Insider | date=February 2, 2022 | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042900/https://www.insider.com/anna-delvey-writes-about-inventing-anna-and-life-in-jail-2022-2 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2022, Delvey tested positive for COVID-19 in jail and was placed in quarantine. While still in jail on March 1, 2022, she joined a class-action suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. Delvey alleged that ICE refused multiple requests for a COVID-19 vaccine booster. She had received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine the previous April.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anna Sorokin sues ICE, claims she got Covid after jailers refused to give her a booster shot |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/anna-sorokin-sues-ice-claims-got-covid-jailers-refused-give-booster-sh-rcna18591 |access-date=March 8, 2022 |work=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

In October 2022, Delvey was granted a $10,000 bail bond and released from jail.<ref name="variety.com">{{Cite web |last=Reul |first=Katie |date=October 5, 2022 |title=Anna Sorokin, Con-Artist From 'Inventing Anna,' Released From Prison |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/anna-sorokin-inventing-anna-released-prison-1235394125/ |access-date=October 6, 2022 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> She was required to remain in 24-hour home confinement with electronic monitoring and no access to social media.<ref name="variety.com"/> Her house arrest was being served at a {{convert|470|ft2|adj=on}} apartment in the East Village, Manhattan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/08/style/anna-sorokin-delvey-interview.html |url-access=subscription |title='Exactly What I Wanted': Anna Sorokin's First Night of House Arrest |work=The New York Times |date=October 8, 2022 |last=Palmer |first=Emily}}</ref><ref name="siegel2023">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/anna-delvey-interview-house-arrest-felonies-freedom-1235695552/?sponsored=0&position=3&category=what_else_were_reading&scheduled_corpus_item_id=6298a714-82a2-4de6-bade-1cb8ec9f7bb9&url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/anna-delvey-interview-house-arrest-felonies-freedom-1235695552/ |title=Reinventing Anna Delvey: How House Arrest, Being Hated and Yearning for Freedom Is Changing the Scammer |first1=Tatiana |last1=Siegel |first2=Mark |last2=Elzey |work=Variety |date=2023-08-15 |accessdate=2023-08-16 }}</ref>

Early in 2024, Delvey was allowed to move her house arrest to the Hudson Valley home of her friend Kelly Cutrone.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Melendez |first=Pilar |date=2024-09-06 |title=Anna Delvey and Kelly Cutrone's Latest Project? Their Bucolic Life Upstate. |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/kelly-cutrone-anna-delvey-nyfw |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref>

In August 2024, Delvey's access to social media was restored, and her house arrest was extended to a {{convert|75|mile|adj=on}} radius of the home.<ref name=":0" />

==Media representation== In 2018, after Jessica Pressler published an article on Delvey in ''New York'', Netflix paid Delvey $320,000 for the rights to her life story.<ref>{{cite news | last=Shamsian | first=Jacob | title= Netflix paid fake heiress Anna Sorokin $320,000 for its show about her, some of which she was legally forced to use to pay the restitution and fines imposed upon her by the courts. | url= https://www.insider.com/netflix-paid-anna-delvey-sorokin-tv-series-victim-fund-2021-1 | work=Insider | date=January 29, 2021 | access-date=February 5, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042819/https://www.insider.com/netflix-paid-anna-delvey-sorokin-tv-series-victim-fund-2021-1 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url= https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/shonda-rhimes-netflix-anna-delvey-1202838348/ | title=Shonda Rhimes Sets Anna Delvey Series as First Netflix Project | first1=Debra | last1=Birnbaum | first2=Joe | last2=Otterson | work=Variety | date= June 8, 2018 | archive-date=June 14, 2018 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180614070430/https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/shonda-rhimes-netflix-anna-delvey-1202838348/ | url-status=live}}</ref> But the New York Attorney General's office sued Delvey in 2019 using the state's Son of Sam law, which prohibits those convicted of a crime from profiting from its publicity, and forced the majority of these funds to be used for restitution and fines per the judgment.<ref>{{cite news | last=Tucker | first= Emma | title=New York's 'Son of Sam' Law Invoked in German Heiress Fraud Scheme | url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-yorks-son-of-sam-law-invoked-in-german-heiress-fraud-scheme-11609167604 | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=December 28, 2020 | url-access=subscription | archive-date=June 24, 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210624212233/https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-yorks-son-of-sam-law-invoked-in-german-heiress-fraud-scheme-11609167604 | url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2019, ''My Friend Anna'', a book by Rachel DeLoache Williams, was published by Gallery Publishing Group, an imprint of Simon & Schuster,<ref name="Williams 2019">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TWqGDwAAQBAJ | title=My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress | publisher=Gallery Publishing Group | location=New York | isbn=978-1982114091 | first=Rachel DeLoache | last= Williams | year=2019 | access-date= February 16, 2022 | archive-date= February 17, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220217171226/https://books.google.com/books/about/My_Friend_Anna.html | url-status= live }}</ref> as well as by Quercus in the UK and Goldmann in Germany. Williams received $300,000 for the book, in which she details her experiences with Delvey, including how the trip to Marrakesh affected her financially and mentally.<ref name= 2years/><ref>{{cite news | last=Stein | first=Sadie | title=True Life: I Got Conned by Anna Delvey | url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/books/review/my-friend-anna-rachel-deloache-williams.html | work=The New York Times | date=July 23, 2019 | url-access=subscription | archive-date=June 3, 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210603152807/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/books/review/my-friend-anna-rachel-deloache-williams.html | url-status=live}}</ref> Screenwriter Lena Dunham paid Williams $35,000 for an option to the television rights to her story but did not exercise it, so the story rights returned to Williams.<ref name= "dangerous">{{Cite news | url= https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/02/inventing-anna-delvey-netflix-real-rachel-williams | title=Inventing Anna Is a 'Dangerous' Distortion, Says Rachel Williams | first=Julie | last=Miller| work=Vanity Fair | date=February 15, 2022 | access-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-date=February 16, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220216145217/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/02/inventing-anna-delvey-netflix-real-rachel-williams | url-status= live }}</ref>

Delvey's story has been the subject of an episode of ''American Greed'' by CNBC,<ref>{{Cite AV media | url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7zbdrd | title=American Greed – Se13 – Ep14 – Fake Heiress Cons High Society | via=Dailymotion}}</ref> an episode of ''Generation Hustle'' by HBO Max,<ref>{{Cite web | url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/generation_hustle/s01/e04 | title=Anna Delvey Takes Manhattan | publisher=Rotten Tomatoes | access-date= February 19, 2022 | archive-date= February 20, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220220133253/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/generation_hustle/s01/e04 | url-status=live }}</ref> an episode of ''20/20'', in which Deborah Roberts interviewed Delvey in ICE custody,<ref name= UNRAVELED>{{cite news | url= https://abcnewspr.tumblr.com/post/663605378226044928/2020-reports-on-how-fake-heiress-anna-sorokin | title='20/20' Reports on How 'Fake Heiress Anna Sorokin Fascinated the World as Her Cons Deceiving New York's Elite Unraveled | work= | publisher= ABC News | date= September 28, 2021 | url-status= live | access-date=September 29, 2021 | archive-date=January 26, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220126095417/https://abcnewspr.tumblr.com/post/663605378226044928/2020-reports-on-how-fake-heiress-anna-sorokin }}</ref> and an episode of ''60 Minutes'', in which Liam Bartlett interviewed her.<ref>{{Cite news | url= https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-no-remorse-swindling-victims-60-minutes/bbdcadab-98fc-4d87-a8a5-32cc488e0ece | title='I just don't feel guilty': Fake German heiress Anna Sorokin has 'no remorse' |work=60 Minutes | access-date=February 22, 2022 | archive-date=February 23, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220223031604/https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/fake-heiress-anna-sorokin-no-remorse-swindling-victims-60-minutes/bbdcadab-98fc-4d87-a8a5-32cc488e0ece | url-status=live }}</ref>

In December 2019, Delvey's story was the subject of ''Fake Heiress'', a drama-documentary podcast by journalist Vicky Baker and playwright Chloe Moss released by BBC Radio 4, starring Bella Dayne as Delvey.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Sounds – Fake Heiress – Available Episodes| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m000c9mb|access-date=February 21, 2022| website= bbc.co.uk| language=en-GB|archive-date= February 21, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220221161001/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m000c9mb|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2020 American television series ''Katy Keene'', the character of Pepper Smith, played by Julia Chan, is loosely based on Delvey.<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.craveyoutv.com/pepper-smith-on-katy-keene-draws-inspiration-from-faux-heiress-anna-delvey/| work= CraveYouTV.com | date= February 18, 2020|title=Pepper Smith on 'Katy Keene' Draws Inspiration from Faux Heiress Anna Delvey |first= Lizzy|last=Buczak|access-date= February 27, 2022|archive-date= February 27, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220227125611/https://www.craveyoutv.com/pepper-smith-on-katy-keene-draws-inspiration-from-faux-heiress-anna-delvey/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2020/07/9919721/pepper-smith-katy-keene-based-on-anna-delvey-real-story|work=Refinery29.com| date=July 17, 2020|title=Pepper Smith Is Katy Keene's Anna Delvey| first= Kaitlin|last=Reilly|access-date= February 27, 2022|archive-date= February 27, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220227125609/https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2020/07/9919721/pepper-smith-katy-keene-based-on-anna-delvey-real-story|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.bustle.com/p/is-pepper-from-katy-keene-based-on-a-real-person-shes-secretly-a-scammer-21814235|work=Bustle |date=February 20, 2020|title=Why 'Katy Keene' Will Remind You Of A Certain Viral Scam Story|first=Martha|last=Sorren|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-date= February 27, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220227125612/https://www.bustle.com/p/is-pepper-from-katy-keene-based-on-a-real-person-shes-secretly-a-scammer-21814235|url-status=live}}</ref>

In late July and early August 2021, ''Anna X'', a stage play inspired by Delvey's story by Joseph Charlton starring Emma Corrin and Nabhaan Rizwan ran at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London and The Lowry in Salford.<ref>{{Cite news | title= Gatsby, Ripley and the fake heiress: inside the tech fantasy Anna X | url= https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/jun/02/joseph-charlton-anna-x-emma-corrin-social-media | first= Natasha | last=Tripney | work=The Guardian | date=June 1, 2021 | access-date=February 16, 2022 | archive-date=February 10, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220210160833/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/jun/02/joseph-charlton-anna-x-emma-corrin-social-media | url-status=live }}</ref>

Shonda Rhimes created Netflix's nine-episode series ''Inventing Anna''. In it, Julia Garner plays Delvey. It was released in February 2022 and was the most-watched show on Netflix the week it was released.<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheenascott/2022/02/12/inventing-anna-a-review-of-the-new-limited-series-on-netflix/ |work=Forbes|date=February 12, 2022|title='Inventing Anna': A Review Of The New Limited Series On Netflix|first=Sheena|last=Scott|access-date=February 20, 2022|archive-date=February 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220145121/https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheenascott/2022/02/12/inventing-anna-a-review-of-the-new-limited-series-on-netflix/?sh=4c28f2165f05|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2022, Delvey signed a deal with Bunim/Murray Productions to star in a reality television series about her life after prison.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a39106680/anna-delvey-docuseries-reality-tv/ | title=There's an Anna Delvey Reality TV Show In the Works | first=Emily | last=Burack | work=Town & Country | date=February 16, 2022 | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217083001/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a39106680/anna-delvey-docuseries-reality-tv/ | url-status=live }}</ref> She is also working on a book about her time in jail and a podcast.<ref name=biggest/> In May 2022, Delvey joined sisters Paris Hilton and Nicky Rothschild on an episode of Hilton's podcast ''This is Paris''.<ref name="this is paris appearance">{{cite news |last1=Maida |first1=Stephanie |title=Paris & Nicky Hilton Just Collabed With... Anna Delvey?! |url=https://guestofaguest.com/new-york/nyc-society/paris-and-nicky-hilton-just-collabed-with-anna-delvey |access-date=June 1, 2022 |publisher=Guest of a Guest |date=May 31, 2022}}</ref>

In May 2025, Delvey was featured in a ''New Yorker'' magazine article titled, "Power Houses: Inside the Living Rooms of Notable New Yorkers".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Portfolio: Power Houses: Inside the Living Rooms of Notable New Yorkers |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/05/12/power-houses |work=The New Yorker |date=May 12, 2025 |access-date=May 5, 2025}}</ref>

Delvey has been featured in a number of magazines, including ''Kinfolk'', ''InStyle'', ''Buffalo Zine'', ''Playboy France'', ''VALŪS'', ''Sleek'', ''King Kong Magazine'', ''Bricks Magazine'', and ''Ladygunn''.

==After prison==

As of December 2022, Delvey had sold $340,000 worth of art.<ref name=herself>{{Cite news | url=https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/fake-heiress-anna-delvey-sorokin-sold-340000-paintings-drawings-1234651475/ | title=Fake Heiress Anna Delvey Sold $340,000 in Artworks Often Featuring Herself | first=Karen K. | last=Ho | work=ARTnews |date=December 22, 2022}}</ref> The proceeds were used to post bail and pay three months of rent for Delvey's $4,250/month one-bedroom East Village apartment.<ref name=herself />

===Art shows===

A pop-up group show called "Free Anna Delvey" ran at 176 Delancey Street on the Lower East Side from March 17 to March 24, 2022, while Delvey was incarcerated.<ref name="Peers">{{cite news |title=Goodbye Anna Delvey, High Society Scammer. Hello Anna Sorokin, Artist. |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/goodbye-anna-delvey-high-society-scammer-hello-anna-sorokin-artist |last=Peers |first=Alexandra | work=The Daily Beast |date=March 17, 2022}}</ref><ref name=Ridiculously>{{cite news |title=Fresh Off Her Group Show Debut, Anna Delvey Has a Solo Exhibition in the Works, and Interest Is Ridiculously High |url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/anna-delvey-solo-show-2093291 |last=Dafoe |first=Taylor | work=ARTnews |date=April 1, 2022}}</ref> The show incorporated art from 33 artists inspired by Delvey, including Noah Becker, publisher of ''Whitehot'' magazine.<ref>{{cite news |title='Free Anna Delvey' Art Exhibit Raises Funds For Fraudster Anna Sorokin |url=https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/free-anna-delvey-art-exhibit-raises-funds-anna-sorokin |last=Tron |first=Gina | work=Oxygen |date=March 28, 2022}}</ref> Each piece was listed for sale for $10,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=She's a convicted con artist. Now she wants to be... an artist? |url=https://www.deseret.com/2022/3/29/23000268/inventing-anna-subject-anna-delvey-sorokin-where-is-she-now-where-is-her-art-show |last=Johnson |first=Lottie Elizabeth | work=Deseret News | date=March 29, 2022}}</ref> It was co-curated by Alfredo Martinez, who had been to prison for forging Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings, and Julia Morrison, who fronted $8,000 of her own money to fund the show but was never repaid despite Delvey's promise to do so.<ref name=herself/><ref name=Ridiculously/><ref>{{cite news | title=Inside the opening of 'Free Anna Delvey,' the art show where the fake heiress hired a notorious art forger to recreate her prison drawings |url=https://www.insider.com/anna-sorokin-hired-art-forger-prison-free-anna-delvey-gallery-2022-3 |last=Shamsian |first=Jacob |work=Business Insider |date=March 18, 2022}}</ref> One of the pieces, ''Send Bitcoin'', features a seated Delvey wearing a red dress while working on a computer and facing away from the viewer. Other pieces included ''Anna on ICE'' and ''ICE'', both referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.<ref name="Peers" /> ''UltraNYC'' called the pieces "doodles" and "part of her latest ploy to profit from her newfound fame".<ref>{{cite news |title=Anna Delvey launches Art career with convicted Basquiat forger |url=https://ultranyc.com/anna-delvey-art-exhibition/ |last=Khraibani |first=Sahar |work=UltraNYC |date=April 17, 2022 |access-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-date=June 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613160009/https://ultranyc.com/anna-delvey-art-exhibition/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Grunge'' said the show "generally displayed [Delvey] in a sympathetic, if not overtly positive, light."<ref>{{cite news |title=The Truth About Anna 'Delvey' Sorokin's Art Career |url=https://www.grunge.com/837824/the-truth-about-anna-delvey-sorokins-art-career/ |last=Harnes |first=Anna | work=Static Media |date=April 20, 2022}}</ref>

On May 19, 2022, while Delvey was incarcerated, "Allegedly" opened in a nightclub on the second floor of the Public Hotel in Manhattan.<ref name=Nightclub>{{cite news |title=Set in a Nightclub, Anna Delvey's Solo Show Seemed Like Another Scam—and Then Her Artwork Showed Up |url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/anna-delvey-solo-show-scam-2119898 |last=Dafoe |first=Taylor | work=ARTnews |date=May 23, 2022}}</ref> The show opened with Kanye West's song "Flashing Lights", followed by drag queen Yuhua Hamasaki hyping up the crowd.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anna Delvey Unveils Surreal NYC Art Show of Sketches Drawn in Prison: 'My Narrative From My Perspective' |url=https://variety.com/2022/scene/news/anna-delvey-art-show-nyc-1235272697/ |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |work=Variety |date=May 19, 2022}}</ref> Models walked through the room holding Delvey's drawings in gold-plated frames and wearing white gloves, Versace sunglasses, and black stockings covering their heads and faces.<ref name=Nightclub/> Delvey addressed the crowd in a prerecorded message, saying the show was "my narrative from my perspective".<ref>{{cite news |title=Anna Delvey Addresses Crowd at Her New York City Art Show: 'My Narrative From My Perspective' | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/anna-delvey-art-show-nyc-b2083765.html |last=Raiken |first=Amber |work=The Independent |date=May 19, 2022}}</ref> The drawings were again priced at $10,000 each; Delvey said 15% of the proceeds would go to children's charities.<ref>{{cite news |title='Free Anna Delvey': Anna Sorokin's art show features works inspired by fake heiress | url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/mar/25/free-anna-delvey-art-show-fake-heiress-anna-sorokin | last=Yang |first=Maya |work=The Guardian |date=May 25, 2022}}</ref> Many reporters and publicists attended the show.<ref name=Show>{{cite news |title=Anna Delvey's Biggest Scam Of All Might Be Her Art Show | url=https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/anna-delvey-allegedly-review-art-show-exhibit-1234629718/ |last=Dickinson | first=E.J. | work=ARTnews |date=May 23, 2022}}</ref>

===Non-fungible tokens===

In June 2022, Delvey announced that she was launching a collection of non-fungible tokens. She created 10 such tokens that she said would give holders "exclusive access" to her.<ref>{{cite news |title=Convicted scammer Anna Sorokin says she is now selling NFTs |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/anna-delvey-nft-interview-rcna33811 | first=Morgan |last=Sung | work=NBC News | date=June 16, 2022}}</ref>

=== ''Dancing with the Stars'' === In September 2024, Delvey participated in season 33 of the dancing competition TV show ''Dancing with the Stars''. She was paired with professional dancer Ezra Sosa, and was required to wear her ICE-mandated ankle monitor during the program. Delvey was one of the first two celebrities eliminated, along with Tori Spelling.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=September 24, 2024 |title='Dancing With the Stars': Hollywood Night Sends Home Two Celebs in First Double Elimination of Season 33 |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/dancing-with-the-stars-anna-delvey-eliminated-tori-spelling-1236154987/ |magazine=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=September 25, 2024 |title=Anna Delvey gives blunt one-word response after early Dancing with the Stars elimination |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/anna-delvey-dancing-with-the-stars-elimination-b2618810.html |accessdate=30 November 2024 |work=The Independent}}</ref>

=== Fashion === On September 13, 2023, during New York Fashion Week, Delvey hosted an event on the roof of her apartment, where she was under house arrest.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Friedman |first=Vanessa |date=2023-09-12 |title=A Fashion Show at Anna Delvey's House? Is That What It Takes? |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/style/anna-delvey-nyfw-fashion-show.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-09-28 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> She worked with fashion publicist Kelly Cutrone.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Palumbo |first1=Jacqui |last2=Rees |first2=Alex |date=2023-09-13 |title=Inside 'fake heiress' Anna Delvey's rooftop fashion show — hosted under house arrest |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/anna-delvey-kelly-cutrone-nyfw-shao-yang/index.html |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Helmore |first=Edward |date=2023-09-12 |title=Ankle-tagged 'Soho grifter' shakes up New York fashion week with rooftop show |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/sep/12/ankle-tagged-soho-grifter-anna-delvey-sorokin-new-york-fashion-week |access-date=2023-09-28 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> A year later, in September 2024, Delvey modeled for fashion brand SHAO New York during New York Fashion Week<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-13 |title=Anna Delvey's Next Big Trick? Taking Over the Fashion World |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/a62138721/anna-delvey-interview-nyfw-crime-of-fashion/ |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=ELLE |language=en-US}}</ref> and again in February 2025 for Elena Velez and several other brands, sporting her ankle monitor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Anika |date=2025-02-12 |title=Anna Delvey turns heads on New York Fashion Week runway with ankle monitor |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/02/12/anna-delvey-nyfw-ankle-monitor-new-york-fashion-week-bangkok/78456819007/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life== Delvey maintains social media accounts, which she has described as satire, on Twitter and Instagram.<ref name=life/> Through Instagram, she connected with Julia Fox, with whom, {{As of|2022|February|lc=yes}}, she was planning a collaboration.<ref name=life/> In January 2021, Delvey penned a sarcastic letter to Donald Trump in which she anticipated becoming a prisoner at Rikers Island.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.insider.com/anna-sorokin-delvey-fake-heiress-pens-letter-to-donald-trump-2021-1 | title=Fake heiress Anna Sorokin penned a letter to Donald Trump in anticipation of his legal battles | first=Moises II | last=Mendez | work=Insider | date=January 25, 2021 | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219042830/https://www.insider.com/anna-sorokin-delvey-fake-heiress-pens-letter-to-donald-trump-2021-1 | url-status=live }}</ref> As a condition of her October 2022 release from ICE detention she was prohibited access to social media.<ref name="variety.com"/> The restriction was lifted in August 2024.<ref name="Baker2024">{{cite news |title=The legal battles behind Anna Delvey's Dancing With The Stars debut |date=16 September 2024 |author=Vicky Baker |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgd2y5e23jo |work=BBC}}</ref>

Delvey had a boyfriend in New York for two years until he moved to the United Arab Emirates. While keeping his identity secret, she disclosed that he gave TED talks and was profiled in ''The New Yorker.'' She suggested she would reveal his identity for a fee, with bidding starting at $10,000, but Rachel Williams revealed the boyfriend to be Hunter Lee Soik.<ref name="Tricked" /><ref name="biggest">{{cite news | url=https://www.newsweek.com/anna-delvey-today-inventing-anna-reaction-anna-sorokin-instagram-ice-custody-1680169 | title=5 Of The Biggest Things Anna Delvey Has Said And Done Since 'Inventing Anna' | first=Molli | last=Mitchell | work=Newsweek | date=February 17, 2022 | access-date=February 18, 2022 | archive-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217192646/https://www.newsweek.com/anna-delvey-today-inventing-anna-reaction-anna-sorokin-instagram-ice-custody-1680169 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Williams 2019" />

==See also== * List of con artists

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Wikidata-inline}} * {{IMDb name}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delvey, Anna}} Category:1991 births Category:21st-century German women Category:21st-century Russian women Category:21st-century Russian criminals Category:21st-century German criminals Category:German people imprisoned in the United States Category:German fraudsters Category:German socialites Category:Impostors Category:Living people Category:Confidence tricksters Category:People convicted of fraud Category:People from Domodedovo (town) Category:Prisoners and detainees of New York (state) Category:Russian emigrants to Germany Category:Russian people imprisoned in the United States Category:Russian fraudsters Category:Russian socialites