A woman who posed as a wealthy heiress to swindle tens of thousands of pounds from banks, hotels and friends has been jailed.
Anna Sorokin, 28, claimed she had a fortune of about £51 million that would cover her high-end clothing, hotel stays and flights, despite having “not a cent to her name”.
She was sentenced yesterday to between four and 12 years after being found guilty multiple counts of theft.
New York Judge Diane Kiesel said Sorokin had been “blinded by the glitter and glamour of New York City” as she tried to finance a life she could never afford, adding that she was “stunned by the depth of the defendant’s deception”.
Moments before she was sentenced, Sorokin told the court: “I apologise for the mistakes I made.”
German-born Sorokin, who went by the name Anna Delvey, falsely claimed her father was a diplomat or an oil baron, and persuaded one bank to lend her $100,000 (£76,000) to fund a private arts clubs.
Prosecutors accused her of stealing $275,000 (£211,000), including a $35,400 (£27,100) bill she failed to pay for a plane she chartered.
Netflix and HBO are working on shows based on her crimes. Officials will seek to deport her to Germany when she is released.
