Who is Anna Delvey?
Part of what made Delvey’s scheme work was mystery. She was able to craft a persona that was a regular name and face in New York City’s prestigious socialite circles, but no one actually really knew her or where she came from. Delvey circulated heavily in the seen-and-be-heard circles, had tickets to all the major events, and was a fixture in New York circles. But she was also smart enough to keep her trail obscure and unknown, leaving little behind in details during conversations aside from being a German heiress with a lot of money at her disposal and a lot of time to party.
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A key factor in her fraud was appearances. Knowing darn well her appearance and presentation would either make or break Delvey in socialite circles, she played the part exceptionally well with the right transport, entourage, clothing, styles, placement, dining, and similar. As far as anyone could tell who met her, Delvey came from money and a lot of it. Old money too, without a limit or care for the small stuff. As a result, Delvey got in doors that would have immediately barred others on the spot.
No Permanent Address
Anna Delvey practically lived out of hotels. She was a moving, walking, breathing fraud operation that ran 24/7 without a break. As a result, she was always in persona, either coming or going from one hotel to another, and maintaining a presence status in the U.S. with, of all things, a tourist visa. In a time and place when international security had clamped down with extensive backgrounds on frequent travelers, Delvey simply floated through the tourism system without resistance. And her choice to park at a Soho boutique hotel gained her even more City status as a result.
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Delvey’s timing was perfect. She consistently appeared at every major social event, ball, foundation grant dinner, dance, party and more. She was known in more circles in New York City than established politicians. And it got her no-questions-asked lodging at the hotels she stayed at because they were caught up in the reputation illusion as well. If Delvey was whom she appeared to be, the hotel bills would be paid no questions asked. It was as if Delvey was presidential.
Living the Dream
She was a celebrity in her own right as Delvey paved her path through clubs and gatherings. Tips were huge, which also got Delvey past all the staff and security without question as well. $100 drops were common and frequent, easily allowing Delvey to move like water through crowd control and perimeters. Her choice of fashion was always top end as well, quickly passing muster with the most discerning eyes as well as socialite journalists quick to smell a poor fake. Then, Delvey connected with a concierge at 11 Howard, her temporary Soho pad.
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Neff Davis saw lots of celebrities at Howard 11, and she immediately switched into professional mode whenever Delvey appeared. Delvey was what Neff always dreamed of being but knew she didn’t come from the background to achieve. So, being a concierge got her closer to that world, and suddenly Delvey was interested in bringing Neff closer. Being within Delvey’s circle was immediately exciting, not to mention lucrative. $100 tips were always appreciated.
Socializing as a Professional
For Neff, being around Delvey was very much a moth to a flame. She was immediately attracted to the socialite profile, and the fact that Delvey was willing to bring Neff into her world was even more exciting. Neff Davis wanted to actually be a filmmaker as her overall goal; being a concierge was a means to pay the bills at times, but it was also a viable connection channel. If Neff played her cards right, someone like Anna Delvey could get the film student into the right spot to go into cinematography.
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As it turned out, Neff Davis would be famous thanks to Anna Delvey, just not as a filmmaker. But, at the time, Delvey would regularly check with Neff on places to eat and where to go in town. However, as Neff realized, this was simply a ruse; Delvey actually wanted to interact with Neff on a regular basis. As the concierge began to put two and two together, it became apparent Delvey wanted a companion.
Friends in High Places
Delvey was actually after Neff as a friend and hangout buddy. Neff figured it out after a few jaunts and quickly switched gears. Delvey seemed like the classic out-of-town socialite who needed consistent folks to hang out with. Neff was picked, and she had no problem switching into that role for Delvey in New York City.
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There actually wasn’t much Neff had to do for Delvey, so just being a friend while she was in town was fairly easy, at first. Most of the time it was just listening to Delvey go on about this person or that event or this next plan. She wanted a sounding board and Neff Davis had no problem filling the role. It was in sync with her regular work as a concierge anyways, and her employer was perfectly fine with Neff spending the time with an assumed rich client and a hefty hotel account. Regular runs to restaurants and nightclubs became commonplace.
Those $100 Tips
As mentioned earlier, staff and support folks at various venues knew Anna Delvey as well as the socialites themselves in New York City. Delvey’s $100 tips spread like wildfire, and every security guard, waiter, concierge, and event staff were on the lookout to give Delvey whatever she needed when she arrived. There were literally fights in the hotels between bellboys as to who would bring her suitcases to Delvey’s room when she would arrive. Real money brought out the viciousness in staff towards each other.
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Delvey wasn’t an idiot. She watched out of the corner of her eye how cash would open doors and get peoples’ service. Every tip drop was strategic and placed with great care. It served her well, and nobody asked where Delvey’s money came from.
Royal Vacations and Spending
Those $100 tips were channeled into every service aspect one could affect with tips. From app drivers to waiters and bartenders, Delvey was a fixture in New York City because of her seeming generosity. Even when Neff was out with Delvey and tried to pay for something with her own credit card, Delvey would immediately step forward and take over the cost.
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For Neff, the whole affair seemed like dealing with a princess on an extended vacation. She fit the part in every aspect with regards to being a descendent of a rich European estate and beneficiary. She seemed to have lots of cash at her disposal, and Delvey was clearly giving off all the signs that plenty more was coming in her inheritance.
Celebrity Contacts and Friends
A key differentiator with Delvey was that she was actually able to connect with real, well-known celebrities on a regular basis. This ability was evident as Delvey seamlessly moved into and attended regular exclusive restaurant meetings, larger dinners, and nightclub events. Many times, Delvey herself would also host extravagant dinners at very expensive locations just for herself, invitees, and associates. She clearly had the means and the connections to make these things happen, which all added to the illusion that Delvey had the cash behind her. Even for a seasoned concierge like Neff Davis, Delvey looked like the real thing.
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And Neff had a front-row seat. The Howard 11 concierge was always on Delvey’s short list as invitees and being Delvey’s constant gal-pal. She sat across the table from movie stars, singers, and entertainers as well as power brokers and gossip-makers. More than once Neff found herself across the table from an actor or actress and was tempted to ask a dozen questions but didn’t.
A Magical Talent Around People
Another aspect that contributed to Delvey’s seemingly true persona was her uncanny ability to gel with otherwise unobtainable people. Anna Delvey had no problem being able to pick up the phone at any time and reach out to an actor or power broker at her whim. While appearance-wise Delvey seemed like a normal, average person, even to Neff, her network was tremendous and far-reaching. And even with new folks whom Neff knew Delvey had never met before, the socialite had them chatting like old friends in no time.
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Delvey’s personality and approach helped her tremendously. A petite presence with big blue eyes and a youngish look immediately won over many celebrities. But to Neff and others, it was clearly Delvey’s people skills that made the difference and produced magical connections others could never hope to achieve in the same settings.
The Right Place at the Right Time
Delvey was clearly an extensive planner and strategist. Even those close to her admired how the socialite seemed to know exactly what was going on in town, where to be and where to be positioned to be seen and see the right people. She also traveled extensively. Delvey had no issue using a private jet to show up at a party in Berlin and then the next day be back in New York City for another event. And no one asked how it was all paid for.
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Delvey was also smart enough to focus on the young and easily entertained. Trust kids were an easy cover for Delvey, and the idea that she was a heiress simply fit into the rest of the crowd that circulated around social events with lots of money to burn, time to waste, and nothing important to do.
The Case of Michael Huang
As a museum co-founder, a notable art collector himself, and a regular at art shows, Michael Xufu Huang was a name that opened up a path in crowded rooms. When he appeared at an event, people gravitated to Michael to see where he would position next. Money exchanged hands based on what Michael put his interest in as well as favored. No surprise, Anna Delvey targeted Michael and connected with him easily. They became so close, the two shared a trip to Italy to attend the Venice Biennale as a pair. No small feat for someone with no real cash behind her name.
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For Anna, cash wasn’t a problem, especially when she could convince people to pay for things for her. With the guise of just making the trip easy for logistics, Anna asked Michael to put both their tickets and hotel charges on his card and, of course, she would reimburse him. Michael thought about the matter for a split second and then ignored his inner voice. The cost was nothing to his typical expense, but a small voice in his head wondered if Anna was on the up and up. He ignored it.
Getting to Venice
Unlike the typical traveling celebrity, Delvey paid for anything she needed where she went with cash in hand. To someone like Micheal and his typical circle, this was also odd. If Delvey was indeed as rich as she appeared, why would she need to carry cash at all? That slight mistake by Delvey missed the radar and Michael ignored that sign as well. The trip was fantastic and eventually reached its end. In simple housekeeping Michael expected Anna to close up on her tab and pay him back.
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That’s when the memory problems started. Anna Delvey kept seeming to forget that she owed Michael for the trip. Again, however, mindless flailing from event to event was common for the ultra-jetset, so who has time to remember every little detail of accounting? Michael sure didn’t. He had people working for him to do all that kind of boring thinking. Eventually, the debt drifted into the past, as Anna hoped, and Michael forgot to keep asking for his money back.
A Big Birthday Party
When it came time, Anna went all out for her own birthday party. Even personal celebrations were part of her 24/7 operations as much as anything else that she did. There was never a downtime for her, and every angle Delvey was operating from was about making it to the next scam or score she had in mind. And that meant her birthday party was fair game for inviting the super-rich and famous to attend and be seen at as well.
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The party, as usual with events Delvey ran, was a huge hit. And, no surprise, it rang up a big bill as well. Except, Delvey didn’t pay it. Instead, the restaurant and venue, which are always far more cash-flow minded, called up Michael Haung of all people. In an apologetic yet persistent tone, the venue made it clear that they were seeking payment for Delvey’s event because she hadn’t cleared her outstanding account and Michael was provided as the financial contact for questions. Finally, the warning bells went off in Michael’s head. Anna Delvey was a con artist.
Where did Anna Come From?
Once the question nobody ever thought of asking started percolating, curiosity took on a life of its own. Who exactly was Anna Delvey? Chatter began to hum across the gossip circles. Delvey might not be everything she seems to be and nobody knows exactly who she is. Along with gossip, the rumors generated as well. In fact, the ideas and stories explaining Delvey’s background ended up becoming far more fanciful than anything she could have created herself, but they weren’t completely off from the truth either.
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In one version, Anna was associated with a Russian diplomat, entirely different from her original story of being a German heiress. Her accent at least seemed to play into the suggestion, and plenty of trustfund kids were born overseas with thick accents. The German heiress’ presentation was simply a ploy to cover up her Russian family money instead.
Thoughts, Ruminations, and Gossip
A weird spin looked to insult Delvey and reduce her class status by arguing Delvey was just spinning a disguise of royalty and was instead simply a beneficiary of a rich antique-dealer family in Germany. Regardless of where folks went into left field or right, every theory or hypothesis was wrong. The most obvious possibility of Delvey being a con artist didn’t register in anyone’s brain. Ego stopped people from admitting they had been duped.
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Surprisingly, Anna Delvey didn’t panic in the spotlight of sudden, new scrutiny. She thrived in it. Like a smart PR professional, Delvey worked the attention to her favor, using curiosity as even more of a driver to get her connected with even more money and socializing.
The Foundation Concept
Delvey decided to go for a bigger prize. It wasn’t enough to get thousands of dollars out of people she had duped. Now, the socialite wanted millions. And a foundation providing exclusivity and privacy of combined interests was the ideal path. She knew her victims well. They wanted to be part of something that nobody else was as a bragging point. And Delvey was more than happy to oblige.
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The Anna Delvey Foundation was going to be the vehicle to officially gather lots of donations, promise great things, and live high on the hog with people’s donated money. Who was going to suspect otherwise? Plus, it added another feather to Delvey’s cap to get her into the money-making events and hobnob with the powerful and rich. 281 Park Avenue South would be the perfect physical location of the Foundation, but she needed cash to make cash happen. She needed a big capital loan.
Promising the Moon, Delivering Nothing
Anna needed a substantial co-sponsor for her venture. A capital loan was going to need to come from a sizable financial institution, even if a private one, and that would require vouching. She relied on a financial partner in the project to speak for her, and the possibility of money always attracts those willing to look the other way. The interest profit on such a loan was extremely attractive, making scrutiny a formality. Trust kids were known to have lots of assets, and Anna fit the bill of being one.
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Anna made her necessary promises to repay the loan and had resources to do so. She also committed to the firm not to tarnish their name in any way in the venture. She was in her element convincing people of something she had no ability to deliver. The lender fell for it just as fast as the rich socialite crowd did when Delvey did her magic.
Along Came a Rat
Delvey needed money, so her operation kicked into high gear to make the Delvey Foundation a reality. She began targeting rich pockets with fundraisers, fancy dinners, and socializing events designed to bring in the big pockets.
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She also brought in professionals like Marc Kremmers to work over Delvey’s professional appearance to give the Foundation the right appearance online.
Martin Shkreli
One particular character Delvey wanted to get close to was Martin Shkreli. Some would argue the former pharma boss and now convict was a con artist in his own right, but Shkreli at the time was making millions doing what business does best, gouging customers when they needed a product the most.
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As it turned out, Delvey was never able to finalize a pull off of Shkreli’s bank account. He was convicted of securities fraud before she could get close enough. Nonetheless, her magic worked. Shkreli noted Delvey was the person of the moment around town, and he even had his ego checked in Delvey’s company with how many people knew her and wanted to talk at any event. In the meantime, Shkreli was teaching Delvey more without knowing it.
All Good Ponzi Schemes Eventually Fall Down
Anna Delvey was now playing in the big leagues, and that meant lots of professionals and lawyers. There wasn’t a moment during the foundation launch phase that Neff didn’t see Delvey arguing on the phone with an attorney telling her she couldn’t make the big promises as big as she was making them. Her dramatic language had to be toned down or she was going to get in trouble.
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And then Neff saw the beginning of the end. She was out to dinner with Delvey and, when it came time to pay the bill, all of Delvey’s credit cards were declined, all 12 of them. Neff was shocked, but she should have known it was proof something bigger was about to fall apart.
A Cascading Failure Was Imminent
In the tech world, a problem that suddenly turns into many problems that become overwhelming and out of control is known as a cascading failure. That is exactly what started to occur for Delvey. She had extended herself for so long, so far, and for so much, basic cash flow was starting to catch up to her. Maintenance, recurring charges, even simple costs to pay for miniscule expenses seemed to be a problem. Her hotel at 11 Howard was at the front of the line starting to ask for a credit card to finally charge for her lodging. The bill was in the thousands of dollars.
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For weeks, Delvey had been a priority guest with full access and benefits. But even a German heiress eventually had to pay up the cost of all that service. Originally, the payment was going to be a wire transfer, which made sense for a guest who was from Europe. However, six weeks later, the hotel owner got tired of waiting and was demanding payment.
Drowning in the Deep End
Neff Davis got sucked into the maelstrom because the owner knew the concierge was close to Delvey and could connect with the guest far faster than the owner could as well as more discreetly. They were close friends, obvious to everyone in the hotel. So, Neff suddenly found herself with the unenviable task of collecting $30,000 in expenses due. And Neff truly believed Delvey could pay it.
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When asked about it, Delvey again promised a wire transfer from her European bank. Neff started to realize Delvey was having problems, but she had no idea how far down the rabbit hole the socialite had put herself.
Time to be Serious
The hotel ended up being one of the few recipients of Delvey’s attention who actually ended up being paid in full. Delvey somehow managed to find the funds and transfer $30,000 to the hotel to cover her account. All was good again, and the hotel continued to roll out the red carpet. As with so many celebrities above the fray of accounting, Delvey was clearly good at her word, just not fussed with the paperwork of her lifestyle. The hotel would take care of the rest as they did for their best customers.
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However, there still was no credit card provided for Anna Delvey’s account. As the bills started charging again, the hotel demanded a card to cover ongoing expenses. Delvey didn’t provide one. The hotel then stated they would lock her out by a certain date without a card on file.
Door Codes Changed
To their credit, Howard 11 hotel followed through and changed Delvey’s door codes. They were going to put her in the same class as any typical hotel guest. So, she fired back. Delvey had learned a thing or two from Shkreli and now those lessons were going to be applied viciously.
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Delvey threatened that she was going to use her vast assets to buy out the hotel’s presence online, every website domain, and literally cut them out of the traffic they enjoyed online. They would end up having to pay her license fees to even be alive on the Internet with names already established in search engines. Of course, Delvey didn’t stick around for their answer. She flitted off to Morocco with a filmmaker and a personal trainer in tow.
Northern Africa
Things continued to foul up in Delvey’s plan. Her personal trainer ended up eating bad food and had to return to the U.S. early. Then the trainer became the next target with Anna flipping out on the phone that her credit card was bad and she was stuck in Morocco being threatened. The act was successful.
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The trainer provided her credit card to cover the Morocco hotel costs, and Delvey again wiggled out of paying her own way. Only, the trainer’s card was rejected as well. The trainer provided a second credit card, and it failed. By this point, the hotel was trying to avoid embarrassment and, with so many credit cards failing, thought it might be their own network. Delvey was free.
Back to the Same Tricks
Back in the U.S., Delvey pulled the same game she did before, but with a different hotel. When no card could be provided to pay over $11,500 in costs, she was actually escorted out of the hotel, and her belongings in the room confiscated as leverage to get her to pay up. For the first time in years, Delvey was actually, truly homeless in New York City. Her empire was crumbling fast.
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Delvey tried the game a third time with another hotel but was only able to get a half week of time before getting the boot there too. At this point she went back to the trainer asking for a place to sleep for the night. She acted the full part of desperation, even mentioning suicide. The trainer fell for it and thought Delvey was dealing with a mental breakdown.
Scamming Friends No Different Than Hotels
When it came to her loyal friends, Anna Delvey was just as cut throat as she had been with the hotels that housed her. The Morocco trip racked up a hotel bill over $62,000, but Delvey had already jumped ship with an excuse that she needed to zip back to the States momentarily and would be back. Her filmmaker friend on the trip, Rachael Williams, ended up being left with the bill. Williams had to deal with the charge on her own credit card to avoid a Moroccan jail and get out of the country safely.
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The trainer who had gone on the trip got word of the cheat, and realized she was being scammed by Delvey as well. Nothing about the socialite was true, panned out, and she was being actively used next. Time to get Anna out of her apartment quickly!
Getting the Boot
The trainer made it abundantly clear, Anna was not welcome and had to leave immediately. Delvey seemingly forgot her laptop, a ploy the trainer suspected Delvey was going to use to get back in. Instead, the trainer left the computer with the front desk and locked her out of the apartment.
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However, Delvey was an old hand at playing people. She literally decided to camp out in the apartment lobby until the trainer would see her. Finally taking a smart move, the trainer refused.
Suddenly, at Rock Bottom, Maybe
Delvey was truly and finally at the end of her rope, it seemed. The socialite was banned from every hotel that was of substance, and even those that were common. She called her attorneys but they already knew whom they were dealing with and refused to provide a place to stay. One attorney called Delvey’s trainer and asked for help, but instead they set up a trap.
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Planning an intervention, the trainer agreed to meet with Delvey at a restaurant, without telling the socialite that a number of folks she owed money to would be there as well. Anna Delvey fell into the trap hook, line, and sinker.
Confrontation
Delvey was immediately stuck like a deer in the headlights. She had stolen close to a hundred thousand dollars from those she called friends, in addition to what was stolen from celebrities and hotels. She promised again to take care of everything with tears flowing, she just needed to secure a lease for a place to live.
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However, another failure hit her square in the eyes. Delvey had not been paying attention to her Foundation project during all the cascading mess. The location for her Foundation had been lost and rented to another party. The Foundation project was now toast. Interestingly, Delvey had no visible reaction, simply blowing off the matter uninterested.
Exposure
By now, the socialite gossip circles were humming strong. The individual everyone had wanted to be with at a party was now the most unpopular person in New York City. She was dubbed a “wannabe” and her royal credentials questioned. The journalists were merciless in crucifying her name as a scam in the papers and, unknowingly, were dead on the truth. That would come out later.
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Delvey played the part of the victim and cried to anyone she could. She still held her guns and claimed she was a rich heiress with lots of money and was just unlucky with a streak of bad luck and circumstances. However, the filmmaker Delvey had cheated didn’t buy it. She filed a formal complaint with the New York City District Attorney right after the intervention meeting.
Arrest and Collapse
The hotel bills had still been outstanding all along and never settled up. In New York City, that can get one arrested for a municipal crime. However, investigators on Rachael Williams’ bad fortune wanted more than just a simple skip and run. They wanted a con artist. Anna Delvey was arrested for outstanding hotel bills to contain her and make sure the socialite didn’t skip town.
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The newspapers had a heyday. Here a recognized face they all knew was now a subject of the perp walk and latest scandal trial. However, somehow Delvey was able to hire an attorney, pay her bail, and walk free again until trial.
Bad Decisions
She should have left the country outright, but instead Anna zipped off to California and got arrested a second time.
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Likely trying the same tricks with a new crowd but soon spotted by her name in the news, Delvey was sent back to New York City and charged with six heavy felonies of theft plus the hotel charges.
The Real Story Comes Out
As is usually the case with trials when the jig is up, the real story of where Anna Delvey came from finally surfaced. She spent her time waiting for trial sitting in Rikers Island. In the meantime, the heiress’ story fell apart. Her real birth name was discovered as Anna Sorokin. One detail was true though; she was foreign-born. Sorokin originated from Russia, being born there in 1991. Her family then moved to Germany in the mid 2000s.
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A child of a middle class working family, there was no big inheritance or trust fund. When investigators finally found Anna’s family, none of them knew anything about any money; it was all made up.
A Missed Chance for a Low Sentence
Amazingly, Anna tried to pull her magic off in the courtroom, trying to convince the authorities to bless a plea deal that would only give the con artist one to three years of prison. The judge wasn’t convinced.
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In return, the judge stated the only plea deal Anna was going to get would be three times as long, running from three to nine years of jail time. Anna tried to play poker in the courtroom and held out for better. The judge refused to negotiate further and went straight to trial instead, with a risk of 15 years minimum penalty.
Not Sorry One Bit
A key factor that had the judge angry was that Anna didn’t give any sign of being sorry for what she did. The original plea offer was clearly trying to bid time and would have been nothing given the time Anna was already serving and would get credit for waiting for trial.
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It’s very clear the judge in the case was quite willing to make an example out of the con artist and would levy the maximum sentence on conviction.
The Circus Keeps on Going
For Anna, however, her story continues to still be worth money. The cable movie and series streaming service, Netflix, has contracted to make a movie about Anna’s exploits which, of course, means income for Anna, something she desperately needs for her attorneys on her case. Her focus was less on the risk of the judge and instead who would be picked as the actress to play Anna.
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Furthermore, Rikers Island doesn’t seem to faze the con artist. Anna spent much of her time analyzing the prisoners there, had adjusted fine with the population, and seemed to get along with everyone.
Learning New Tricks in Prison
By her own admission, she found fellow prisoners who were murderers fascinating. Her people skills continue to serve the former socialite well in yet another power environment behind bars.
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Worse, Anna had been learning new tricks inside. Many thought if she ever got out again, she would be ten times trickier than before, even if older.
Surprise, Anna’s Back
As it turned out, Anna Sorokin saw the light of day outside of prison only four years later. She was released on parole for good behavior, even after getting a sentence of 12 years for her crimes. In the meantime, Anna’s notoriety was now going to become an asset for her.
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Instead of mumbling around in a half-way house, the ex-convict has been busy pumping up her persona and image marketing, working on the Netflix movie release about her story, and leveraging social media to control her future.
First Interview After Prison
Clearly, Anna took lessons from Michael Milken (aka the former Junk Bond King) and others while in prison.
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Ironically, right after being released, Anna did her first interview in a hotel, wearing what was clearly a $700 plus hoodie for good effect. She was still going by the name, Anna Delvey, which she now considered a valuable brand asset. She likely assumed she was on a quick path to recovery. However, since the release, the Feds got involved.
Any Press is Good Press
Anna went right to work during her brief free time. She started connecting again and putting herself out there for interviews and media calls. They were quick to jump on the next chapter of the con artist.
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Within a few weeks, Anna was scoring magazine spots, news magazine photo shots, and gaining leverage on her name. She thought she was back in the game again and, like Martha Stewart, her notoriety was going to serve Anna well finally.
Short Time Out
Anna’s opportunity at freedom again was dashed when the Feds gave her notice of arrest. Interestingly, they did not outright go pull her in.
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Arrangements were likely made with Anna’s attorney for her to report and turn herself in at ICE offices for detention by a date certain. Since that day in March 2021, Anna hasn’t been seen in public.
Back in Jail, Again
The Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) arrested Sorokin only a month after her release in February 2021. She has been held in federal detention despite multiple hearings on her potential deportation. The immigration court has voiced that Sorokin is a clear threat to society and has not corrected her ways.
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The proof was in all of Sorokin’s social media postings. Delvey was still the extreme attention seeker she always had been. Anna’s need to be in the limelight actually worked against her finally.
Price to Pay
While Anna was successful at convincing people to give her money, she was not good at keeping movie profits away from the law.
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Anna Sorokin made approximately $320,000 off her story with Netflix, but she likely won’t see much of it. U.S. laws involved will force the profit to go to victims first for restitution. In the meantime, Anna faces her toughest opponent to convince otherwise, the federal government.
The Show Must Go On
Anna Delvey or Anna Sorokin, the name doesn’t matter. This person is whoever she needs to be to pull off the next bit of advantage and get ahead. Anna knows this and isn’t afraid to do what she can to advance her goals and status.
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The question isn’t what is Anna going to do next. It’s really, whom is she going to fool next in her trip through life? While the federal government may be a bad pitstop that puts her on ice for a while, as soon as Anna is deported, she will likely be back to her pattern of manipulating people again. She got this far, why not continue elsewhere?
Show Time
The poster and anticipation for the upcoming Netflix film got trumped by ABC. ABC’s 20/20 series released a program on October 1, 2021 which detailed the story of Delvey and even included interviews with her following her release from prison.
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Most suspect Anna probably revels in the attention and PR she continues to get based on her escapades. She was always one attracted to the limelight.
An Actress Picked for the Story
After some conjecture, Netflix made press statements and releases on the upcoming release of its in-house movie production about Anna Sorokin’s story and scam. Actress Julia Garner was picked to be Anna in the upcoming movie.
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In the meantime, she seems to have been separated from all the fortune it might have promised Anna. Instead, she waits for hearing after hearing until a final deportation.
How Does this Happen?
How does a person like Anna work her way into such an amazing influence over other people’s lives? At the end, it all came crashing down, and like others Anna got to a point where she couldn’t control the ride.
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It was apparent, once the hotel bills started catching up, that the end of Anna’s story was going to crash around her. “Fake it until you make it,” was not the best strategy in the long run.
What Happened to the Friend?
As for Neff Davis, the fallout of Anna’s crimes, conviction, and ending put her name on the map for the rest of social history and great scams in modern times.
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Neff continued to pursue her career dreams in film and found that her association with Anna actually did give the ex-concierge some leverage into the entertainment world. However, she still looks back on her time with Anna as what was likely a real friendship for a short time.
Another Win for Shonda
For Shonda Rhimes, “Inventing Anna,” on Netflix will be another likely movie win. The producer already has a big win with the popular series, Bridgerton.
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Many expect Shonda’s work to shine through on the Anna Delvey story just as well. Whatever the case, knowing how Netflix runs its entertainment enterprise, the studio is well-equipped to handle such a story. Only time will tell how the film ultimately compares to Delvey’s real life of fraud and scandals.