What Did Anna Delvey Do

Anna Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, is a Russian-born woman who made headlines for her elaborate scam that involved posing as a wealthy German heiress in New York City. She managed to fool some of the city’s most affluent people, including hoteliers, art dealers, and bankers, into believing that she was a multi-millionaire with a trust fund worth over $60 million.

Delvey’s scam began in 2013, when she arrived in New York City and began living a lavish lifestyle, frequenting high-end restaurants, staying at luxury hotels, and hobnobbing with the city’s elite. She used her charming personality and impeccable fashion sense to win over the trust of the people around her, and soon she had a circle of friends who believed in her wealth and connections.

Anna Delvey Scam

Delvey’s first major scam was when she convinced the owners of the trendy 11 Howard hotel in SoHo to let her stay there for several months for free, under the guise of being a wealthy German heiress who was scouting for a potential investment opportunity. She managed to convince the hotel staff that she had a trust fund worth millions of dollars and that she would pay the bills as soon as the paperwork was sorted out.

As time went on, Delvey’s lies became more elaborate, and she began to use fake documents and bank statements to support her claims of wealth. She also convinced several art dealers to lend her expensive pieces of art and even convinced a well-known photographer to shoot a fashion spread for a magazine that she claimed to be launching.

Anna Delvey Arrest

However, Delvey’s scam eventually caught up with her when she was arrested in 2017 for defrauding several people and businesses out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. She was charged with multiple counts of grand larceny and theft of services, and her trial became a media sensation.

During her trial, Delvey maintained her innocence, claiming that she was a “creative” entrepreneur who was simply trying to launch a luxury hospitality brand in New York City. However, her lies and deceit were exposed, and she was eventually convicted of multiple charges and sentenced to four to twelve years in prison. Anna was released from prison on October 5, 2022 but was ordered to remain in her home for 24 hours a day with electronic monitoring. 

Article written by HOLR Magazine.