Anna Sorokin, more famously known by her alias Anna Delvey, is a Russian-born con artist whose web of deception captured the attention of the world.
With a calculated charade of luxury and lies, Sorokin infiltrated New York City’s elite social scene, posing as a wealthy heiress.
Her net worth today stands at just $50,000, but her story has made a lasting impact on pop culture, thanks to books, documentaries, and a highly publicized Netflix series.
In this article, we’ll explore Anna Sorokin’s early life, her fraudulent activities, her legal battle, and her continued fame after prison.
Biography of Anna Sorokin
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Anna Sorokin (aka Anna Delvey) |
| Date of Birth | January 23, 1991 |
| Place of Birth | Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union (now Russia) |
| Nationality | Russian, German |
| Net Worth | $50,000 |
| Occupation | Former socialite, con artist, media personality |
| Known For | Defrauding New York City’s elite and the Inventing Anna series |
| Conviction | Fraud, grand larceny |
| Sentence | 4 to 12 years (released on parole in 2021) |
| Current Status | House arrest (pending immigration proceedings) |
From Russia to Reinventing Herself as Anna Delvey
Anna Sorokin’s early life began in Domodedovo, Russia, where she grew up in a working-class family. Her father worked as a truck driver, and her mother ran a small convenience store.
The Sorokin family relocated to Germany in 2007, where Anna completed her education before moving to London. There, she briefly attended the prestigious Central Saint Martins art school before dropping out.
While living in London and later Paris, Sorokin adopted the persona of Anna Delvey—a wealthy Russian heiress with an endless fortune.
This new identity would serve as the foundation for her elaborate scams that would eventually bring her to the heights of New York City’s high society.
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Early Career: From Intern to “Heiress”
Before her full immersion into the world of fraud, Anna Sorokin worked as an intern in Berlin at a PR agency, followed by a stint at Purple magazine in Paris. It was during this time that she started building her fictional persona, using the name Anna Delvey.
Her rise to prominence started when she moved to New York City in 2013. She quickly became a fixture in the city’s elite circles, attending events, art shows, and galas while convincing those around her that she was a multi-millionaire heiress with access to endless resources.
The Anna Delvey Foundation: A Fraudulent Scheme
The heart of Sorokin’s scheme was the Anna Delvey Foundation, a proposed private art club and social foundation that she pitched to wealthy investors.
In her presentations, she boasted of creating an arts and culture space in the exclusive Church Missions House, a six-story building in Manhattan.
She claimed to have the resources to back such an ambitious project but, in reality, was using falsified documents and fake bank statements to persuade financial institutions and investors to fund her venture.
Sorokin’s fraudulent behavior escalated as she started to apply for loans to fund her extravagant lifestyle, including a failed $22 million loan attempt with City National Bank.
After the rejection, she tried to secure the loan from Fortress, another financial institution, using even more deceptive paperwork.
A Lavish Lifestyle Built on Lies
During this time, Sorokin indulged in an opulent lifestyle, living in luxury hotels, wearing designer clothing, and hiring personal trainers.
Her charisma and ability to deceive others helped her gain access to the upper echelons of New York society, where she rubbed elbows with influential people, art dealers, and high-profile socialites.
However, this luxurious lifestyle was built on fraudulent activity.
She continued to forge documents and make false claims about her wealth to maintain appearances. By early 2017, Sorokin had run out of money and resorted to writing bad checks and attempting to scam luxury hotels.
The Fall: How Anna Sorokin Got Caught
By 2017, Sorokin’s fraudulent activities began to unravel. After spending thousands of dollars on lavish trips and experiences, including a luxury trip to Morocco funded by her acquaintance Rachel Williams, Sorokin’s scams were exposed.
Williams, who had been promised reimbursement, became suspicious after Sorokin continued to delay payment. Eventually, Rachel and others realized they had been duped by Sorokin’s false claims of wealth.
In October 2017, Sorokin was arrested in a sting operation orchestrated by NYPD officers, assisted by Rachel Williams. Sorokin was charged with multiple counts of grand larceny and fraud, leading to a highly publicized trial in 2019.
Legal Battle and Conviction
The trial against Anna Sorokin began in March 2019. She was convicted on eight counts, including charges related to her attempts to defraud banks and individuals.
Sorokin was sentenced to four to twelve years in prison, a $24,000 fine, and ordered to pay restitution to the victims. During her time at Rikers Island, Sorokin was known for causing disruptions and misbehavior.
In 2021, after serving just over two years in prison, Sorokin was released on parole. However, her legal troubles were far from over.
In March of 2021, she was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for overstaying her visa. In late 2022, Sorokin was released on house arrest after paying $10,000 bail.
Anna Sorokin’s Net Worth: From Millions to $50,000
At the height of her fraudulent activities, Anna Sorokin claimed to be worth millions, leading others to believe she was a wealthy heiress.
However, after her arrest and the collapse of her schemes, Sorokin’s financial situation has dramatically changed. Today, her net worth is estimated to be just $50,000, which includes earnings from her Netflix deal for the miniseries Inventing Anna, where she was paid $320,000 for her life rights.
Her financial situation is a far cry from the lavish lifestyle she once portrayed.
Despite the conviction, Anna Sorokin’s story continues to captivate audiences worldwide, proving that notoriety can be as valuable as wealth.
Life After Prison: Staying in the Spotlight
Anna Sorokin has not faded from public view after her release from prison. She has signed a deal to appear in a reality television show that chronicles her life after incarceration.
Additionally, Sorokin has been the subject of books, podcasts, and documentaries, including Rachel Williams’ memoir My Friend Anna and various episodes of shows like American Greed and Generation Hustle.
Her most significant media exposure came from the 2022 Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna, produced by Shonda Rhimes, where Julia Garner portrayed Sorokin. The series, based on Sorokin’s rise and fall, was a major hit and brought her story to a global audience.
Conclusion: The Legacy of Anna Sorokin
Anna Sorokin’s journey from a small-town girl in Russia to a globally known con artist is a striking example of the lengths to which someone will go to create an illusion of wealth and success.
While her fraudulent actions led to legal consequences and financial ruin, Sorokin’s continued presence in the media has ensured that her name remains in the spotlight.
Whether she can truly reinvent herself after prison remains to be seen, but her story is a testament to the power of deception in the digital age.
People May Ask
1. What is Anna Sorokin’s current net worth?
Anna Sorokin’s net worth is currently estimated at $50,000, largely due to her Netflix deal for the Inventing Anna series and other media deals.
2. How much did Anna Sorokin make from Netflix?
Sorokin was paid $320,000 by Netflix for the rights to her story and to consult on the miniseries Inventing Anna, which dramatized her rise and fall.
3. What was Anna Sorokin convicted of?
Anna Sorokin was convicted of grand larceny, theft, and fraud, after she defrauded banks, hotels, and individuals out of significant amounts of money.
4. What is Anna Sorokin doing now?
Since her release from prison, Sorokin is under house arrest while she faces immigration proceedings. She is also working on a reality television series and has become a media personality.
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