New York 'Fake Heiress' Case Made into Netflix Drama... Set to Become a 'Real' Rich Person After Parole

The "fake heiress" Sorokin was released on parole on the 11th (local time), and her story is gaining attention on Netflix. Photo by Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] The so-called "fake heiress" who shook New York's social scene in the United States was released on parole on the 11th (local time), and her story is attracting attention as broadcasters and publishers are competing to acquire it.

According to the American media Business Insider, 30-year-old Anna Sorokin recently sold her story to Netflix and received $320,000 (about 360 million KRW).

Insider reported that Sorokin plans to use the money received from Netflix to pay $200,000 in damages, $24,000 (about 27 million KRW) in fines, and $75,000 (about 85 million KRW) in attorney fees. She also agreed to pay $70,000 (about 79 million KRW) in compensation to the bank from which she had additionally borrowed.

However, the New York court plans to apply the "Son of Sam" law to Sorokin to prevent her from profiting. This law prohibits criminals from profiting by using the fame gained from their crimes, and Sorokin is the first case to which this law has been applied since 2001.

Sorokin's acquaintance Williams wrote a book titled My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress, which became a bestseller. Subsequently, HBO, a leading American cable pay-TV movie channel, paid Williams $335,000 (about 377 million KRW) to produce My Friend Anna as a video work.

Known as the real-life "Ripley," Anna Sorokin suddenly appeared in New York's social scene in 2013, introducing herself as the heiress of a powerful family with hundreds of billions in assets. At that time, under the alias "Anna Delvey," Sorokin mingled with figures in New York's fashion and art scenes, enjoying a lavish lifestyle by buying luxury goods and taking extravagant trips. Her daily life was often posted on social media.

Sorokin forged documents to borrow more than $200,000 from banks and planned to create a high-end restaurant and members-only club exhibiting artworks. To maintain her luxurious lifestyle, she also incurred debts from acquaintances or had them pay on her behalf, with the amount of fraud reaching tens of thousands of dollars.

Sorokin's double life, which lasted for four years, came to an end when her true background and fraudulent activities were exposed, leading to her arrest in October 2017 on charges of theft and fraud.

Sorokin was sentenced to prison in 2019. However, last year, she suddenly changed her attitude, admitting to her crimes and expressing remorse. According to local media such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Sorokin is expected to be deported to Germany after her parole.

Meanwhile, Sorokin also attracted media attention during the trial process. When she appeared in court, she wore luxury clothes selected by a personal stylist and showed no sign of remorse. In her court statement, she claimed, "The important thing is that I am not sorry. If I feel guilty, I would be lying to myself and everyone else," drawing public attention.