Celebrity
These Real-Life Anna Delvey Videos Give A Fascinating Glimpse At The Grifter
Into both her personality and accent.
Inventing Anna, Netflix’s latest scammer series, follows the story of Russian-born fraudster Anna Sorokin, who posed as “German heiress” Anna Delvey. It comes after journalist Jessica Pressler broke the story investigating this complex identity scam in 2018, which led to the real Anna Sorokin being arrested and tried for defrauding New York’s elite in April 2019. Sorokin’s accent (and Julia Garner’s portrayal of her) will no doubt pique viewers’ interest. What does Anna Sorokin really sound like? And what is her accent?
Former friends, including Rachel DeLoache Williams, have spoken out and told their sides of the story, sharing their experience of being defrauded of thousands of dollars. But what has Sorokin had to say for herself outside the dramatized world of Netflix?
In short, it is complicated. Sorokin’s attorney, Todd Spodek, argued that “this is not a woman who was actively working against the general moral fabric. She wasn’t hurting anyone. The money she asked for was going to the business,” via Insider. Sorokin, who was initially arrested in 2017 and held on Rikers Island for two years, was sentenced to 12 years for grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and theft of services. She only served two years, and was released from prison in February 2021 due to good behaviour.
Sorokin has not been shy about building an online presence since being released from prison, garnering over 150,000 followers on her Instagram account, @theannadelvey. In light of the new Netflix series, she even penned her own rebuttal article in Insider. The question is: Does she really sound and act like she is portrayed in the series? Judge for yourself, with these six clips of Sorokin, in her own words.
In her first interview after being released from prison, Sorokin spoke to ABC about her time as Anna Delvey, her motivations, and her look to the future. “Even the richest of people try to take out loans,” she explained. “I was just trying to get a cheap loan.”
Despite saying in a parole hearing, “I’m really ashamed and I’m really sorry for what I did.” Sorokin comes across as aloof, unrepentant, and ruthless in her interview with Australia 60 minutes. “I have no patience for people’s stupidity,” she added, saying that she “doesn’t see herself” as a con artist.
Speaking with BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, once more Sorokin shows herself to be on the defensive, explaining, “In my head I never thought I was cheating or getting away with anything.”
And of course, post-prison interviews are not the only time we catch a glimpse of Sorokin in action. In real-life footage from the time she was posing as a German heiress, photographer Jesse Hawk was paid to document Sorokin’s trip to Morocco — an expensive commission he was never paid for. You can watch clips from the raw footage here. And yes, she does ask for a helicopter tour.
This doesn’t necessarily show Sorokin talking much, but it is a great insight into her attitude throughout the trial: rolling eyes and laughing as her charges and accusations were read. It’s a true glimpse into the detached spirit Sorokin possesses to the whole affair.
