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Anna Sorokin

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For other people named Anna Sorokina, see Anna Sorokina (disambiguation).

Anna Sorokin
Анна Вадимовна Сорокина
Born
Anna Sorokina

(1991-01-23) January 23, 1991 (age 30)
Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Other namesAnna Delvey
CitizenshipGerman
Criminal statusNYSDOC #19G0366; released, February 2021
Conviction(s)April 25, 2019
Criminal chargeGrand larceny, second-degree larceny, theft of services
Penalty4 to 12 years imprisonment, $24,000 fine, $199,000 restitution, deportation to Germany

Anna Sorokin (Russian: Анна Вадимовна Сорокина;[1] born January 23, 1991) is a Russian-born German convicted fraudster. Between 2013 and 2017 she pretended to be a wealthy German heiress under the name Anna Delvey in order to defraud banks, hotels, and wealthy acquaintances. She was convicted of multiple counts of attempted grand larceny, larceny in the second degree, and theft of services in relation to these offenses in 2019. As of 2021, television adaptions of her story are being developed by Netflix and HBO.

Early life[]

Church in Domodedovo, the home town of Sorokin.[2]

Sorokin was born on January 23, 1991[2] in Domodedovo,[1] a working-class satellite town southeast of Moscow. She was one of two children of the family.[1] Her father worked as a truck driver, while her mother owned a small convenience store before becoming a housewife.[1] Sorokin was later described by a Russian classmate as "an excellent student" and "strong in character", but she could "easily offend".[1] The family relocated to Germany in 2007, when Anna was 16.[3] She attended the gymnasium in Eschweiler and was described by peers there as a quiet girl who had a difficult time with the German language.[4]

Sorokin graduated from high school in 2011 and relocated to London to attend Central Saint Martins, but quit and returned to Germany. She worked as an intern at a public relations company before relocating to Paris to begin an internship for the French fashion magazine Purple.[4] At that time, she started calling herself Anna Delvey; her parents have said that they "do not recognize the surname".[5]

Life as a fake heiress and fraud offenses[]

During the summer of 2013, Sorokin travelled 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.[5] Sometime after quitting Purple, she invented the idea of the "Anna Delvey Foundation" – a private members' club and art foundation – and proposed it to various wealthy members of the city's social scene, including Aby Rosen and Roo Rogers. Her proposal included leasing the Church Missions House as a multi-purpose events venue and art studio.[5]

Michael Xufu Huang became suspicious of Sorokin after being contacted by a restaurant to ask him for her contact details.[6]

In 2015, Sorokin met Michael Xufu Huang at a dinner party. At the time, he was a student at the University of Pennsylvania with plans to open a private art museum. Upon learning that Huang planned to attend the Venice Biennale, Sorokin asked him if she could accompany him. Huang agreed, and booked a flight and hotel room for Sorokin on the understanding that he would be reimbursed. Upon their return to New York, Sorokin appeared to 'forget' the arrangement and failed to pay.[6] Huang initially assumed that Sorokin was simply absent-minded. However, after Huang attended Sorokin's birthday party at Sadelle's in January 2016, the restaurant contacted him to ask if he had Sorokin's contact details. She had booked the event with an invalid credit card number and false contact details. At this time, Huang theorized that Sorokin may be a con artist, and pressed her to pay. He was eventually repaid, but from a Venmo account by an unfamiliar name.[6]

Having had little success in pitching her Foundation idea to investors, Sorokin decided to obtain the money required through alternative means. She created fake bank statements purporting to show that she had access to about €60 million stored in Swiss bank accounts,[5] and in November 2016, submitted these as part of a loan application for $22 million to City National Bank.[7] City National Bank refused to extend credit when Sorokin failed to provide them with bank statements attesting to the Swiss assets, and she took the loan application to another company, Fortress Investment Group. Fortress agreed to consider the application if Sorokin paid $100,000 to cover legal expenses relating to the application. To obtain this money, Sorokin returned to City National Bank and convinced an employee to grant her a temporary overdraft facility for that amount, on the promise that it would be repaid quickly.[7]

A managing director at Fortress became suspicious of Sorokin's application owing to discrepancies in her paperwork ― for example, she claimed to be of German heritage, but her passport showed her as being born in Russia. When the director arranged to verify Sorokin's assets by meeting her bankers in Switzerland, she withdrew the loan application to prevent further scrutiny. The portion of the overdraft not spent by Fortress as part of the due diligence process, amounting to $55,000, was returned to Sorokin. Of this, the majority was spent on luxury clothing and hotel stays.[7]

Sorokin was evicted from the 11 Howard hotel after she was unable to settle her $30,000 bill.[4]

Sorokin checked into the 11 Howard hotel in SoHo in February 2017, and quickly became known by the hotel staff as a generous cash tipper, frequently giving staff members a hundred-dollar bill for simple tasks. After management discovered that there was no credit card on file for Sorokin, they insisted that she settle her $30,000 bill. Sorokin had a bottle of 1975 Dom Pérignon champagne delivered to the concierge desk in an attempt to keep the staff on her side; however, hotel policy prevented the staff from keeping the gift.[4]

During April 2017, Sorokin deposited $160,000 worth of fraudulent checks into a Citibank account, of which she was able to retrieve $70,000 in usable funds.[2] She then wired a portion of these funds to 11 Howard to pay the outstanding bill. However, as she still refused to provide a credit card, the hotel evicted her.[4] The next month, she successfully convinced charter flight booking service Blade to allow her to book a return flight to Omaha, Nebraska, without paying the $35,390 fee upfront.[8] Sorokin sent Blade a forged wire transfer confirmation slip, purportedly from Deutsche Bank as part of the scheme. Blade were convinced to extend credit partly because Sorokin had met company CEO Rob Wiesenthal at a party, and the executive team believed that she represented an acceptable lending risk. Wiesenthal reported her to the police in August 2017 after repeated failure to pay.[8]

Sorokin invited three friends on what she told them was an "all-expenses-paid" journey to Marrakesh, Morocco in May 2017, supposedly because she needed to 'reset' her Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). A few days after arriving at La Mamounia, hotel staff said that they had been unable to charge Sorokin's credit cards, and demanded an alternative form of payment. Sorokin eventually convinced one of her companions, Rachel DeLoache Williams, to pay the $62,000 bill for their stay, with a promise to reimburse her via wire transfer. Williams later paid for other expenses during the trip, including items purchased by Sorokin and a visit to the Majorelle Garden. Despite repeated promises from Sorokin, no wire transfer occurred.[9]

The W New York Union Square hotel pressed charges against Sorokin for theft of services.[10]

Upon returning from Morocco during May, Sorokin relocated to the Beekman Hotel, again managing to book without leaving a credit card on file. Around three weeks later, having accumulated a bill of $11,518 and failing to pay despite repeated promises, the Beekman also evicted her. She then stayed at the hotel W New York Union Square where she attempted a similar scam. However, she was evicted again after only two days.[4] The Beekman and the W hotels pressed charges against Sorokin for theft of services.[10] At this time, Sorokin was also being investigated independently by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for the instances of bank fraud.[9]

Indictment and arrest[]

A grand jury was convened in August 2017 to consider the charges against Sorokin.[9] It eventually indicted her 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.[2] The most serious charge related to the fraudulent loan application made to City National Bank and Fortress Investment Group, with the other larceny charges relating to the instances of check fraud and the incident in Morocco. The theft of services charge related to Sorokin's failure to pay hotel and restaurant bills.[11]

Sorokin was arrested on October 3, 2017 in a sting operation planned by Michael McCaffrey, a police officer working with the Manhattan District Attorney's office. At the time, Sorokin was staying at Passages Malibu, an addiction treatment facility in Los Angeles County, California. Officer McCaffrey had Rachel Williams, Sorokin's former friend, arrange a lunch meeting at a restaurant near the facility in order to convince Sorokin to leave. When Sorokin left the facility, she was arrested by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department.[12][13]

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. announced the indictment against Sorokin in October 2017.[2]

On October 26, 2017, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. formally announced the indictment against Sorokin, and asked for any other victims to make themselves known.[2]

Trial, conviction and sentence[]

On December 18, 2018, Sorokin appeared in New York City Criminal Court and rejected a plea deal that offered three to nine years in prison; a March 20, 2019, trial date was initially set by Judge Diane Kiesel.[7]

Sorokin's defense attorney, Todd Spodek, arranged for a professional stylist to source outfits for her court appearances, stating that "it is imperative that Anna dress appropriately for the trial".[14] In response, the prosecutor said Sorokin "showed more concern for her attire than the emotions of those she hurt", and seemed to "revel at the plight of her victims".[15] On the Friday of the trial, Sorokin refused to enter the courtroom because she didn't want to appear in her prison-issued clothing and her civilian outfit for the day "had not been pressed". Judge Kiesel ordered Sorokin to appear, stating "This is a trial. She is a defendant in a criminal case. I am sorry if her clothing is not up to her standards [...] but she’s got to be here".[16][17] In Sorokin's defense, Spodek claimed that she had been trying to pay back all the debt. He further attempted to describe her as an entrepreneur and even compared her to Frank Sinatra, claiming they both created a "golden opportunity" in New York.[11]

On April 25, 2019, after deliberating for two days, a jury found Sorokin guilty of eight charges, including grand larceny in the second degree, attempted grand larceny, and theft of services. Sorokin 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 Bank), and one of larceny in the second degree (relating to the alleged theft of $62,000 from Rachel Williams in Marrakesh).[7][18]

On May 9, 2019, Sorokin was given a sentence of 4 to 12 years in state prison, fined $24,000, and ordered to pay restitution of about $199,000.[19][20]

Sorokin was incarcerated at Rikers Island during the trial. After the trial, Sorokin, now inmate #19G0366 of the New York State Department of Corrections,[21] was initially housed at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility before being transferred to Albion Correctional Facility.[13][22]

Post-release[]

Sorokin was released from prison on February 11, 2021.[23] In March 2021, she was taken back into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for overstaying her visa. As of 2 April 2021, she was being held in a New Jersey county jail awaiting deportation to Germany,[24] and was still in ICE custody on 28 September 2021.[25]

Media representation[]

The New York Attorney General's office sued Sorokin in 2019 using the state's Son of Sam law, which prohibits those convicted of a crime from profiting from its publicity. Netflix and Shonda Rhimes had by this time acquired the rights to Sorokin's profile in New York magazine, intending to create a television series.[26] As a result of the suit, the state Office of Victim Services (OVS) froze a $140,000 advance paid to Sorokin by Netflix, allowing two banks defrauded by her to pursue recovery action. City National Bank claimed $100,000, and Citibank the other $40,000. Netflix agreed to send future payments to an escrow account managed by Sorokin's lawyer, Todd Spodek, and monitored by the OVS.[27]

Julia Garner was eventually cast as Sorokin in Netflix's series, titled Inventing Anna. Garner visited Sorokin at Rikers Island to prepare for the part.[28]

My Friend Anna, a book written by Rachel Williams, was published in July 2019 by Gallery Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster),[29] as well as by Quercus in the UK and Goldmann in Germany. In it Williams details her experiences with Sorokin, including how the incident in Marrakesh affected her financially and mentally.[30] HBO acquired the television rights to Williams' story;[31] as of February 2021 the project is still in development, with Lena Dunham reportedly acting as main screenwriter.[21]

In December 2019, a partially dramatized podcast series about Anna Sorokin with the title Fake Heiress was presented by BBC Radio 4.[32]

In November 2021, Netflix released its trailer for Shonda Rhimes’ Inventing Anna.[33]

Sorokin's case was the subject of an episode of the news magazine series 20/20 in October 2021. In the programme, Sorokin is interviewed by Deborah Roberts while in ICE custody.[25]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Лялин, Роман (April 11, 2019). "Дочь дальнобойщика обманула банки и бизнесменов в США на 17 миллионов рублей" [Trucker's daughter stole 17 million rubles from banks and businessmen in the United States]. Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "DA Vance Announces Indictment of Repeat Scammer for Multiple Thefts Totaling $275,000". Manhattan District Attorney's Office. October 26, 2017. Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  3. ^ Binding, Lucia (April 26, 2019). "Fake German heiress Anna Sorokin convicted of fraud after bankrolling lavish lifestyle". Sky News. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Pressler, Jessica (May 28, 2018). "How an Aspiring 'It' Girl Tricked New York's Party People — and Its Banks". The Cut. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Palmer, Emily (May 10, 2019). "A Fake Heiress Called Anna Delvey Conned the City's Wealthy. 'I'm Not Sorry,' She Says". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Kinsella, Eileen (December 10, 2020). "Convicted Fraudster Anna Delvey Conned Collector Michael Xufu Huang. That Didn't Stop Him From Hanging Her Portrait in His New Museum". Artnet News. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e Ransom, Jan; Palmer, Emily (April 25, 2019). "Fake Heiress Who Swindled N.Y.'s Elite Is Found Guilty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Dickson, E. J. (April 9, 2019). "How Anna Delvey Managed to Scam Her Way Into a $35,000 Charter Plane Ride". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Williams, Rachel DeLoache (April 13, 2018). ""She Paid for Everything": How a Fake Heiress Made My $62,000 Disappear". The Hive. Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Dickson, E. J. (March 29, 2019). "Who Is Anna Sorokin, a.k.a. Anna Delvey, the Alleged Soho Grifter?". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Palmer, Emily (April 28, 2019). "'Anna Delvey,' Fake Heiress: 7 Bizarre Highlights From Her Trial". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  12. ^ Williams, Rachel DeLoache (July 18, 2019). "Anna "Delvey" Sorokin Was My Friend. Here's How I Helped Bring the Fake Heiress to Justice". Time. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Shamsian, Jacob. "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". Insider. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  14. ^ Tashjian, Rachel. "The Alleged "Soho Grifter" Is Using a Courtroom Stylist". GQ. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Con artist who passed herself off as wealthy heiress sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison". CBS News. May 10, 2019. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  16. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (April 26, 2019). "Does This Dress Make Me Look Guilty?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  17. ^ Shamsian, Jacob. "Alleged 'socialite scammer' Anna Delvey refused to show up to court on Friday because she didn't like her outfit". Insider. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  18. ^ Pullman, Laura (March 7, 2021). "'Fake Heiress' Anna Delvey on her time in prison and what she'll do next". The Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  19. ^ Ransom, Jan (May 9, 2019). "Sorokin, Who Swindled N.Y.'s Elite, Is Sentenced to 4 to 12 Years in Prison". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  20. ^ "Anna Sorokin: Fake heiress apologises as she is sentenced". BBC News. May 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 10, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  21. ^ a b Baker, Vicky (February 20, 2021). "Netflix and Anna Delvey: The race to secure the story of New York's 'fake heiress'". BBC News. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  22. ^ Pavia, Lucy (November 5, 2019). "The Anna Delvey Netflix drama has cast its leading lady". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  23. ^ "Anna Sorokin: Fake heiress released from US prison". BBC News. February 12, 2021. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  24. ^ "Anna Sorokin: Fake heiress detained by US immigration authorities". BBC News. April 2, 2021. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  25. ^ a b "20/20". ABC News. September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  26. ^ Otterson, Debra Birnbaum, Joe (June 8, 2018). "Shonda Rhimes Sets Anna Delvey Series as First Netflix Project". Variety. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  27. ^ Tucker, Emma (December 28, 2020). "New York's 'Son of Sam' Law Invoked in German Heiress Fraud Scheme". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  28. ^ Florsheim, Lane (November 23, 2020). "Julia Garner on Meeting Anna Delvey at Rikers and Watching 'The Vow'". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  29. ^ Stein, Sadie (July 23, 2019). "True Life: I Got Conned by Anna Delvey". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  30. ^ Petski, Denise; Andreeva, Nellie (August 21, 2019). "Lena Dunham Launches Production Company Under HBO Deal". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  31. ^ "My Anna Delvey story: Strange encounters with a fake heiress". BBC News. BBC. December 16, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  32. ^ Aurthur, Kate. "Netflix Unveils Trailer and Premiere Date for Shonda Rhimes' 'Inventing Anna'". Variety. Retrieved December 6, 2021.

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