Early life and background
Anna Sorokin was born on January 22, 1991, in Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast, Russia. She moved to Germany with her family at the age of nine and later relocated to the United States. Sorokin attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy in 2014.
Activities in New York City
After graduating, Sorokin moved to New York City and began presenting herself as a German heiress named “Anna Delvey.” She claimed to have a substantial trust fund and used this persona to gain access to elite social circles, expensive hotels, and upscale events. Between 2015 and 2017, she secured loans and services from several businesses—including hotels, art galleries, and a private jet charter—by promising future payment from her alleged inheritance.
Legal proceedings
In 2018, Sorokin was arrested on multiple charges, including grand larceny and theft of services. She was accused of defrauding multiple individuals and institutions of approximately $275,000 in cash and services. In April 2019, a New York jury convicted her on 22 counts of grand larceny and theft of services. She was sentenced in June 2020 to 4 to 12 years in prison, fined $24,000, and ordered to pay restitution of $199,000.
Imprisonment and release
Sorokin began serving her sentence at the Rikers Island women's facility. She was transferred to a federal prison in West Virginia and, in February 2021, was granted compassionate release due to concerns about the COVID‑19 pandemic. She was released from prison in February 2021 and placed on supervised release.
Media coverage and cultural impact
Sorokin’s case attracted significant media attention. In 2020, a documentary titled The Lady from Paris was released on YouTube Originals. In 2022, Netflix premiered the limited‑series Inventing Anna, dramatizing Sorokin’s activities and trial. She has also been the subject of various magazine profiles and podcasts that explore themes of deception, social ambition, and the dynamics of elite social networks.
