Inventing Anna: All you need to know about the real Anna Sorokin who inspired the Netflix series

Sometimes, true stories are stranger than fictional ones, and also make for better TV. And this is something that has not escaped the eye of filmmakers, leading to some interesting stories about very intriguing people being brought on to the silver screen. Netflix continues the tradition with its new limited series, Inventing Anna. starring Julia Garner in the titular role, the show tells the story of Anna Sorokin, a Russian-German woman who served a prison sentence on charges of defrauding a host of institutions.

Who is Anna Sorokin?

Sorokin was born in Russia in 1991, to a working-class family. Her father worked as a truck driver and her mother owned a store. When she was a teenager, her family moved to Germany.

Sorokin had moved to Paris to pursue an internship with a French fashion magazine, and later relocated to New York in 2017. Then began the events that would lead to her future incarceration.

What kind of fraudulent activities did Anna Sorokin commit?

While in New York, Sorokin pretended to be a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey. Claiming to come from a rich family with a fortune to her name, Sorokin convinced people of her aristocracy and used it to avail a host of services. She would deceive people into paying for her when it came to luxury amenities and services, including drinks, travelling expenses and stays at hotels. Sorokin attended high profile events and networked with wealthy individuals, who she made pay for the services she availed by citing excuses.

She also pretended that most of her family funds were tied up in accounts that she was unable to access, even making fake documents to support her claim. She had used the same to apply for a large loan, exceeding 20 million dollars, which she said she wanted to use to build a club and art exhibit bearing the name Anna Delvy Foundation. She had swindled institutions and individuals for an amount that ran to almost $275,000.

How did Sorokin get caught?

Sorokin’s first arrest came in July 2017 for not paying the bills to a hotel she stayed at. Although released, she was again arrested the same year.

Then in 2018, her acquaintance Rachel Willams came forward talking about how she had been conned by Sorokin. Williams had been invited by Sorokin on a trip to Morocco, and the latter ended up having to pay for the whole trip despite Sorokin promising to reimburse the expenses, which did not happen. After Williams, more people started coming forward with similar accounts.

Sorokin’s trial began in 2019 and was given a sentence of 2-12 years for her crimes. She was released on parole in 2021

Where is Sorokin now?

In 2021, Sorokin was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for overstaying her visa. She is currently in prison and awaiting deportation to Germany, although she is contesting the same.