Frame from the series “Inventing Anna”

Russian-born swindler Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokina), who became the prototype of the heroine of the Netflix series Inventing Anna, gave an interview to Ksenia Sobchak. From prison, where she was convicted of fraud, she contacted a TV presenter: Delvi was charged with defrauding wealthy acquaintances in New York, forcing them to pay for her in expensive hotels and restaurants, as well as large loans in banks. Spletnik collected the brightest quotes from the interview.

Simon Leviev about the attitude to the “scammer from Tinder”

Actually, I think it’s terrible. I know I’ve been compared to him, but I don’t see any similarities. I think it’s because of the Netflix movie: It came out right after the show about me. It seems to me that he is just a predator, like cheating money from the elderly – he deliberately chose his victims, although he chose another. These girls did not hide that they wanted to find a rich man, they did not lie to him. This is a matter of morals and ethics.

Israeli Shimon Hayut met women posing as the son of diamond king Lev Leviev on his Tinder app. After gaining the women’s trust, he borrowed a large amount from them and disappeared. His story formed the basis of the plot of the movie “The Tinder Scam” released on Netflix.

On the protection of women’s rights

It seems to me that women are judged much more severely when it comes to something that is considered unacceptable in society. Everyone expects motherhood, honesty from a woman, and when you don’t fit into this role, your reaction is much harsher because that’s how men always act.

About why he couldn’t find a wealthy sponsor for his project

I think if someone gives you money, they expect something in return. It seemed to me that if I took money from the bank, I would not feel dependent. Everyone has their own motivation and it’s hard to have your own path when you’re sponsored by someone with their own goals.

Anna Sorokina

About “inventing Anna”

This is a more theatrical version of my story. Let’s say the plot of the series was inspired by my story, so not everything is shown correctly.

In February, a series about her story was released on Netflix, in which Delvi received $320,000, most of it to pay off her debts.

Why didn’t she marry a rich man?

This would also impose some obligations on me. What if I fall in love with him and want to break up? I’m the one who will have to look for a new man who is ready to give me $30 million to part calmly with the first. This is a huge headache! And using your body is low, almost prostitution. Instead of flirting with someone and giving hope, I decided to give hope to financial institutions.

About the prison

I would say that prison is also a society, but on a smaller scale. It’s a kind of social experiment: here you meet various people and you need to find a common language with them, you can’t just leave. We fell into the same trap. I’ve never met people like those in prison and from all walks of life.

In 2019, Anna Sorokina was found guilty of fraud. He was supposed to serve between 4 and 12 years in prison, but the court released him ahead of schedule after he applied for a pardon. He was released from prison in 2021 (he was soon extradited again due to an expired visa). She is now awaiting deportation to Germany, where she lived before moving to the United States.

About relationships with parents

I keep in touch with my family, I call them every week. They have improved recently. I think they will not be able to help me in any way while the process is going on. I’ve always had my own goals and my own vision of how I want to live my life. They were very different from my parents’ views, but that doesn’t mean we don’t talk to each other anymore.

It is known that Anna Sorokina’s father did not attend meetings as part of the trial of his daughter.

About the conflict in Ukraine

I have only read Western sources about the conflict in Ukraine. It’s so weird to think about it. I have a brother, he is now 18 years old. This is very strange: if my mother had not left Moscow, she would have been taken into service now. Just a nightmare.

Something terrible is happening in Ukraine right now. Here in the US, Biden is criticized for not being tougher, and Trump writes that he would not go to war if he were president. I am not a politician, but worst of all, now the parties have moved on to the threat of using nuclear weapons. I don’t know, it’s scary to even watch what’s going on.