In 2022, the most infamous scammer in recent history, Anna Delvey, had her story adapted for a must-watch TV series. Netflix's Inventing Anna, created by Shonda Rhimes and starring Julia Garner, is based on the story Delvey, née Sorokin, the "SoHo grifter" whose escapades were written up in the viral article on The Cut "Maybe She Had So Much Money She Just Lost Track of It."
Between 2013 and 2017, the faux heiress scammed her way through New York society, before being convicted of swindling hotels, restaurants, banks, and a private jet operator out of over $200,000. The series follows Sorokin up to her guilty verdict, and fans who devoured the show were left clamoring about what she's up to now. Now, two years later, Sorokin is re-entering the public eye in a big way. Here's everything we know about the goings-on of Anna Delvey since her conviction.
Did Anna Delvey go to prison?
In real life, as in Inventing Anna, Sorokin was found guilty after a trial that garnered media attention for her wardrobe choices and demands, which sometimes delayed proceedings. According to The Guardian, Sorokin was "admonished for throwing tantrums when she couldn’t get her stylist-curated outfits, and drew unflattering sketches of the lead prosecutor during testimony."
Sorokin was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison on one count of attempted grand larceny, three counts of grand larceny, and four counts of theft of services. She served her time in Albion Correctional Facility until she was released on parole in February of 2021, getting out early for good behavior.
What happened to Anna Delvey after she was released from prison?
After her 2021 release, the faux socialite enjoyed a few weeks of freedom. She rejoined social media as @theannadelvey on Instagram and Twitter, and photos from the time show her out and about in N.Y.C.
However, six weeks after her release, Sorokin was placed in custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for overstaying her visa. In an Insider essay published ahead of Inventing Anna's premiere, she said that her visa overstay was "unintentional and largely out of my control." She appealed her deportation, but remained in custody after a judge deemed her “a continuous danger to the community," partly based on her press interviews and social media.
In mid-March of 2022, Sorokin lost her battle with immigration authorities—a battle that had lasted a year—and was scheduled to be deported to Germany, where she spent a portion of her teenage years. (Born in Russia, Sorokin still has family in Germany.) However, the fraudster was instead placed on house arrest in October 2022 while appealing the deportation order, per CNN. She has remained in N.Y.C. since.
What has Anna Delvey said about her crimes?
Sorokin has been presented in the media (and Inventing Anna) as mostly unrepentant about her actions, though she did tell the court during her sentencing hearing, "I apologize for the mistakes I made." In an interview given the day after after her sentencing, Sorokin admitted, "The thing is, I'm not sorry. I’d be lying to you and to everyone else and to myself if I said I was sorry for anything. I regret the way I went about certain things."
In a February 2022 New York Times interview, she expressed remorse for her actions, reflecting that she felt defiant and was still processing everything when she made that initial quote.
"I feel sorry for the way my case is being perceived. And I feel sorry that I resorted to these actions that people think I’m glorifying now," she said. "I feel sorry for the choices I’ve made. Definitely, I don’t feel like the world would be a better place if people were just trying to be more like me."
What does Anna Delvey think of 'Inventing Anna?'
Sorokin has given more interviews since Inventing Anna came out; according to NYT, she sold her life rights to the show’s creators for $320,000 and worked as a paid consultant on the series. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, she said of the series, "This will override reality. It’s weird to watch your own life owned by somebody else," adding "It's a good exercise in letting go."
She also noted that many of her friends and associates consulted on the show. "It’s like lots of people in your life telling you what they think of you, all at the same time. Turns out, most of the time we don’t want to know what people really think of us."
As for how she felt about the depiction of herself, she recalled thinking, "Am I that insufferable?" after seeing the trailer. If so, she said, "I don’t feel like I could ever be friends with myself."
Has Anna Delvey met any of the 'Inventing Anna' cast?
Though she was detained throughout Inventing Anna's production, Sorokin did get a chance to meet the actress portraying her. During an appearance on Julia Fox and Niki Takesh's "Forbidden Fruits" podcast, the fraudster recalled her one meeting with actress Julia Garner in prison. "She was very nice," Sorokin said, per PEOPLE. "She came to see me…and she is a very sweet girl."
Apparently, Garner even demonstrated her Anna accent to the real-life scammer. "It's just so weird, because the way you hear yourself—like your voice is just completely different when you hear yourself on TV," Sorokin said.
When Fox rated Garner's accent as a "6 out of 10," noting that Sorokin's current accent is more subtle, the grifter defended the actress' portrayal. "She was portraying me from like, 2015, 2016, 2017. So now I've spent the past four years just in the States. I was surrounded by Americans so maybe my accent was different," she said. "I barely even speak German these days. All I speak is English. Back in the day, I would speak French, German, English on a daily basis."
What is Anna Delvey up to in 2024?
For the past two years, Sorokin has mostly remained under the radar, living under house arrest and a social media ban. (In February 2024, she claimed in court docs that the social media ban was "more restrictive" than her time behind bars.) However, she's now set to officially join the entertainment industry, as a contestant on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars.
ABC announced the controversial casting via Good Morning America on September 4, 2024. In a press release, Sorokin is described as a "notorious ankle bracelet fashionista," as well as "an artist, fashion icon and infamous NYC socialite."
"Some view her as a cunning scam artist, while others see her as a charismatic and ambitious entrepreneur who took advantage of New York City’s social elite in an effort to open a prestigious art studio," her bio also reads. "Her case has also sparked discussions about wealth, privilege and social climbing in modern society. Her story continues to captivate the public’s imagination."
Per PEOPLE, Sorokin was granted permission from ICE to travel to L.A. to compete on the show, ankle monitor and all. When asked about potential backlash for her controversial casting, Devley said, "It's just not that serious. If someone is that upset about casting on a dancing show, I don't know what to tell them."
