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U.S. NEWS Friday 10 May 2019
Fake German heiress sentenced

to 4-12 years behind bars

NEW YORK (AP) — Anna sentenced, Sorokin briefly gation that she promised a
Sorokin, the German con addressed the court, say- friend an all-expenses paid
artist who passed herself ing, "I apologize for the mis- trip to Morocco and then
off as a wealthy heiress to takes I made." stuck her with the $62,000
swindle banks, hotels and Her defense attorney, Todd bill. She was also found not
even close friends as she Spodek, told a gaggle of guilty of one of the most se-
lived out a high-society, reporters that Sorokin was rious charges in the indict-
Instagram-ready fantasy in "holding up OK." He de- ment: attempting to steal Anna Sorokin cries during sentencing at New York State Su-
New York, was sentenced scribed the prison sentence more than $1 million from preme Court in New York, Thursday, May 9, 2019.
Thursday to four to 12 years as "expected" but said So- City National Bank.q Associated Press
in prison. rokin will pursue an appeal.
The 28-year-old, who had "She's a tough woman,"
played with her own tab- Spodek said, noting she
loid image during the trial has been at Rikers Island for
by wearing stylish dresses more than 500 days.
to court, looked despon- Sorokin forged a new iden-
dent as the verdict was tity — Anna Delvey — and
announced. She pressed defrauded financial institu-
her hand to her face and tions and Manhattan ce-
squeezed her eyes shut, lebrities into believing she
appearing to hold back had a fortune of $67 million
tears. (60 million euros) overseas
Judge Diane Kiesel said that could cover her jet-
Sorokin had been "blinded setting lifestyle , high-end
by the glitter and glamour clothing and lavish hotel
of New York City" as she stays. She falsely claimed
turned to fraud to finance a her father was a diplomat
life she could never afford. or an oil baron and falsified
But the judge turned down bank records. Her ruse in-
a request by Sorokin's law- cluded an application for
yers to sentence her to the a $22 million loan to fund a
time she has already spent private arts club, complete
in jail awaiting trial. with exhibitions, installa-
"I am stunned by the depth tions and pop-up shops,
of the defendant's decep- prosecutors said. She was
tion," Kiesel said, adding denied that loan but per-
that she hoped to send a suaded one bank to lend
message to Sorokin's inter- her $100,000 that she failed
net following "that her be- to repay.In all, prosecutors
havior is unacceptable." accused her of stealing
"Certainly she didn't think some $275,000, including
about the people she a $35,400 bill she failed to
scammed," the judge add- pay for a plane she char-
ed.The sentencing capped tered to and from the Berk-
a spectacular case that shire Hathaway sharehold-
drew international atten- ers meeting in Omaha,
tion and tabloid headlines. Nebraska. She went to
Netflix and HBO are both great lengths to ensure oth-
working on shows based on ers paid her way, even as
Sorokin's audacious efforts she had "not a cent to her
to finagle her way into the name, as far as we can de-
Manhattan socialite scene. termine," prosecutor Cath-
She was convicted last erine McCaw said follow-
month on multiple counts ing Sorokin's arrest.
of larceny and theft and "An ordinary person would
has been in custody since just take coach," McCaw
her October 2017 arrest— told Kiesel at Thursday's
time behind bars that will hearing. "The defendant
be credited toward her did not want an ordinary
sentence. The judge also life, and she was willing to
ordered Sorokin to pay steal in order to get that."
nearly $200,000 in restitu- The jury convicted Sorokin
tion and a $24,000 fine. of four counts of theft of
U.S. Immigrations and Cus- services, three counts of
toms Enforcement said it grand larceny and one
will seek to deport Sorokin count of attempted grand
to Germany following her larceny.
release from state prison. Jurors acquitted her of two
Moments before she was counts, including an alle-