1 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. The thing is I'm not sorry. Wow. 2 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: You know when you hear some defendant claim the thing is, 3 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: I'm not sorry, doesn't that just get under your nerves. 4 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: That is a direct quote her words, not mine. Wait 5 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: till you hear who said this. I Nancy Grace, this 6 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us. I'm 7 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: talking about the fake heiress Anna Saracan. We were talking 8 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: about this the other day. Anna scan passed herself off 9 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: in the elite circles of Manhattan as an heiress, an heiress, 10 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: and what she did well, she just got off trial 11 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: and she was found guilty. A jury convicts Anna Sarcan, 12 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: one of her many names, and sentences her. The judge 13 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: sentences her to four to twelve years behind bars. And 14 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: as Anna Saurkan prepares to spend the next four to 15 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: twelve years in prison for swindling literally tens of thousands 16 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: of dollars from banks ritzy hotels to bank roll a 17 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:30,119 Speaker 1: really lavish lifestyle in Manhattan, believe it or not, she 18 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: gives a jailhouse interview to who The New York Times 19 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: where she says she would do it all over again. 20 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: Who is her lawyer? For Pete's sake. I mean, when 21 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: this thing goes up on a peal, or her sentence 22 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: is examined to see if she's getting early released and 23 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: she says she would do it all over again. That 24 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: is not what a parole board wants to hear. Now, 25 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: As you know, Anna Sarka, that's she got so many names, 26 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: I can hardly remember which one is the real name. 27 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: But the fake German heiress passing herself as herself off 28 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: as a multi millionaire under the name Anna Delvie. She 29 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: pretended to be the heir to a sixty million euro 30 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: fortune and she ripped off about two hundred thousand dollars 31 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: from Banks Hotels, a private jet company. How did she 32 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: do it and try to lie her way into getting 33 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: a twenty five million dollar alone. Well, in the last hours, 34 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: Anna Saurkin or Anna delvi or whatever her name is, 35 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 1: gives a gailhouse interview. Nothing could make me happier than 36 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: a jail house interview, because in court, defense lawyers try 37 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: their best for the jury not to find out who 38 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: the defendant really is, to keep their yaps shut, to 39 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: have them dressed beautifully. Oh yeah, you know what I 40 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: loved about this girl? She laid court multiple times, crying 41 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: in the chambers outside of court because she didn't like 42 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: her outfit. Yes, she actually had a stylist dressing her 43 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: in name brands. And when I say name brand, I'm 44 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: not talking about like Target, I'm talking about Gucci. So 45 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: many high priced items. I could not believe the judge 46 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: allowed it. On the other hand, if the judge had 47 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: forced her end, she would sit there crying about her 48 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: outfit and you'd have to declare a mistrial for Pete's sake. 49 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: So the judge did what she had to do. Long 50 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: story short, miss thing is yacking behind bars and I 51 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: cannot wait interview with the fake socialite. Aside, how in 52 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: the hay did we land here? This girl, Anna Sirokan 53 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: also known as Anna Delvi, somehow manages to con soho 54 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: Elite out of a quarter of a million dollars. Joining 55 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: me an all star lineup. Jeff Cortez, former FBI special agent, 56 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: Wendy Patrick, California prosecutor, author of Red Flags, doctor William 57 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: and July psychologist, and John Limley Crime online dot Com 58 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: investigative reporter John Limley help me out. This girl shows up. 59 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: Her skin is so pale, she looks like a ghost 60 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: as she's got this long brown hair parted usually slightly 61 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: on the side, big glasses, and the hair hangs down 62 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: like curtains over her face. You can barely see the eyes, 63 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: you know, the hair so close down right there. I 64 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: can't see her face. That makes me suspicious. But who 65 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: would buy into my dad is a Russian billionaire? Give 66 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: me your money? Oops, I forgot my credit card. What happened? 67 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: Let's just start at the beginning. Well, Nancy, apparently a 68 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: lot of people were just just hungry to buy into 69 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: this story. If New York City is a city of dreams, 70 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: which we hear it called all the time, Anna had 71 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: enough for the entire island. She had longed to be 72 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: a member of the upper echelon of bantatist and understand something, 73 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: John Linlane, Crime online investigative reporter, did you just call 74 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: her giant fraud? Ripping people off tens of thousands of dollars, 75 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: including one woman that took the stand a working class 76 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: person who goes on an all expense paid trip with 77 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: her to Morocco and then she gets stiffed with a 78 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: sixty five thousand dollar bill. Wait, are you calling that 79 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: a dream? How can wait? Wait? How dare you dream? 80 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: Is another person's not? You find yourself with cliches? Don't 81 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: the American Dream? My rear end? Jeff Cortize, I call 82 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: it something a lot different than the American Dream. Oh? Absolutely, 83 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: I mean this was a at least on the front end, 84 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: a well executed fraud. Over the long term, it didn't 85 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: It didn't have the legs to remain sustainable though a 86 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: long term. I mean she managed to pull it off, 87 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: Wendy Patrick, for you know what? Two years? I forgot 88 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: how long she managed to pull the wool over everybody's eyes, 89 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: going on ships to Morocco, staying at Oh, I think 90 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,280 Speaker 1: it's eleven Howard, some ritzy. I don't even know how 91 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: you find that hotel in New York. It's one of 92 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: those places. I don't think it is even marked. Only 93 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: rich people go there. Wendy Patrick, what is what happened 94 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: to John Limley, the Voice of Reason? He just called 95 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: us the American Dream? What? Well? I think? I think 96 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: John Linley, what he was talking about is there are 97 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: there are some misguided, vulnerable people that really are subjected 98 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: to social predators like Anna, and you know, some people 99 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,359 Speaker 1: just are absolutely you guys mentioned the glamor, the glitz. 100 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: It's like they want to believe and this fake it 101 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: till you make it lifestyle. You know, nobody even took 102 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: the time to say, show me the money, show me 103 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: the fund, show me the corroboration behind your wild stories, 104 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: because caught up in the moment in an Instagram savvy society, 105 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: people want to be in the company of people like Anna, 106 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: and sadly, as a prosecutor, I am just we are 107 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: just absolutely just terrified of people like this that are 108 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: able to so easily infiltrate our social network. To doctor Williams, July, 109 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: psychology did acquit her off, which I was shocked about 110 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: because this girl actually took the stand Graham larceny for 111 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: allegedly stealing sixty two thousand dollars from a friend that 112 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: she said, come along, I'll pay for everything on a 113 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: chip to Morocco. When you go on a luxurious chip 114 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: to Morocco, you stay in a five star hotel. They 115 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: went to Spa treatments that were costing like three hundred 116 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: dollars a treatment. Yeah, I mean, at worse, Nancy, what 117 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: you're looking at in cases like this, at worse is 118 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: a psychopathological level of narcissism at best. What you're looking 119 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: at as a person who has so much read and 120 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: desire to please herself that she doesn't care what the 121 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: consequences are for other people. You were asking earlier, and 122 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: I just want to address what you were asking earlier 123 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: about why and how can this sort of thing happen. 124 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: We're all baffled when we see this, But it's age old. 125 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: It's it's a tale as old as time. The Charlottean 126 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: comes in and fools everyone. So there's a part of 127 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: people that are looking at this who want to believe 128 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: this because they want to hang out with the person 129 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: who has this kind of social these types of social credentials, 130 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 1: and they want to believe that she's an heiress so 131 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: that they can be with her. And people are blaming 132 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: social media. It's not the fault of social media. Social 133 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: media is just a facilitator to the neediness of other 134 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 1: people who want to believe in acceptance. Why are you 135 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: piling on everybody on the panel except Cortez, thank goodness, 136 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: as keeps talking about the Instagram and society. You know what, 137 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: Instagram didn't have a dang thing to do with this. 138 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: It was all miss thing. Take a listen to friend 139 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: Rachel william speaking to Deborah Roberts Nightline. She just was 140 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: very impulsive and free spirited and charming. I really liked her. 141 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: Anna Delvie made an impression on everyone she met. Were 142 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: you sort of seduced by her in her behavior? In 143 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: some ways? I'd say yes, I was captivated by it. 144 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: I was sort of fascinated by her willingness to just 145 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: challenge boundaries. Claiming to be a German heiress with a 146 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: sixty seven million dollar trust bond. She talked her way 147 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: into exclusive New York parties and nightclubs, which is how 148 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: she met Rachel Williams in twenty sixteen, then a twenty 149 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: eight year old photo editor at Vanity Fair magazine. In 150 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: my late twenties, it was a period of major transition 151 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 1: for me and my friends. A lot of them were 152 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 1: getting married or having babies or leaving the city, and 153 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 1: I was so glad to have this person who was 154 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 1: available and seemed really excited to be my friend. Not pictious, 155 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: The pair soon became inseparable, living the glamorous life of 156 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: two young women in Manhattan. Why do you think she 157 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: was able to sort of walk into rooms and sort 158 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: of do what she wanted to some degree, probably because 159 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: she's a young white female. Also, a lot of it 160 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: had to do with her specific term. She seemed good. 161 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:36,719 Speaker 1: Wild Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Welcome back everybody on 162 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being 163 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: with us. We're talking about the fake heiress Anasaurican. You know, 164 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: a lot of people will puff themselves up, and you know, 165 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: it reminds me of a little boy at the Twins 166 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: school and John David always comes home, says Mom. He 167 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: brags all the time that he has the newest iPhone, 168 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: that he has this, that he has that. And I said, 169 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: John David, that's just to make himself feel batter about himself. 170 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: He must feel bad about himself if he has to 171 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: lie or brag about what he owns or what his 172 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: parents own, and you should feel bad for him. Why. 173 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: I can't imagine what possessed this woman to do what 174 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: she did, builking Banks and Friends out of a quarter 175 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: of a million dollars. But the New York Times manages 176 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: to snag an interview with her. And I was reading 177 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: the article and it says nothing about interviewing the fake 178 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: heiress Anna Sorkin was normal. Apparently, the fake heiress spoke 179 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: quickly excitedly as she talked about her time faking everyone 180 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: out as Anna Delvey, the books she is now writing, 181 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,599 Speaker 1: and the fact that she made the right decision to 182 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: go to trial even though she was sentenced to Moore 183 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:07,839 Speaker 1: as she was offered on an original plea deal. She 184 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:13,719 Speaker 1: went on to reveal that she did not regret anything 185 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: that she did a fake German heiress. How did she 186 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: manage to do it? I mean, if I even try 187 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: to write a check at the grocery store, I have 188 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: to show ID and credit cards. How did she built 189 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 1: banks and friends out of two hundred nearly a quarter 190 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: of a million dollars? Well, I know twelve people that 191 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: could see through her fake act the jury. She not 192 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: only assumed different an identity for herself, but she also 193 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:51,599 Speaker 1: created a whole team of imaginary assistance, an assistant, an accountant, 194 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: a manager Limley, is this true? All of her imaginary 195 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: assistance well, and some were not so imaginary. She even 196 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: had the concierge at a hotel essentially on her staff. 197 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: At her beck and call. She was able to convince 198 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: people of not only her wealth, but all of her 199 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: aspirations her dreams. She really wanted to build this members 200 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: only arts club on Park Avenue South and was even 201 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: working to get the financing for it, and was not 202 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: too far, John Lanley, she lied to a bank using 203 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: phony records she was not working to get funding. Listen 204 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: to this. Anna, who interned at a trendy French magazine, 205 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,599 Speaker 1: reportedly managed to scam extended stays in swanky Manhattan hotels, 206 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: dinner at high end restaurants, and flights on chartered jets 207 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: to finance her lavish lifestyle and keep the grift going. 208 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: She allegedly built banks out of thousands in cash. And 209 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: that's not all. The fake heiress reportedly fleeced her friend 210 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: out of sixty two thousand dollars for a world class 211 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: trip to Morocco. But Anna went too far when she 212 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: attempted to take out a loan for twenty two million 213 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: dollars to finance a visual art center she called the 214 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: Anna Delvi Foundation. In all, Anna reportedly scanned a total 215 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: of two hundred and seventy five thousand dollars and his 216 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: double life began to crumble as hotels went after her 217 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: unpaid debts and banks began to investigate her alleged assets. Wow, 218 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: that's Jesse Palmer over at Daily Mail TV. Wow. Okay, 219 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 1: so friends and acquaintances Say Sirokan spent years playing the 220 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: part of an art obsessed German heiress. Sometimes she'd be Russian, 221 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: sometimes she'd be German. She had an accent to go 222 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: with it, rubbing shoulders with a fashion elite at Paris 223 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: Fashion Week. Frequently spotted in London night spots. Then those 224 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: who knew her saw her at a party in Berlin. 225 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: She told everybody she had just flown in on a 226 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: price of a jet. How did she pull it off? 227 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: Scamming nearly three hundred thousand dollars. It was only when 228 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: these ritzy hotels in New York went after her to 229 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: pay her bills that the whole thing fell apart. But 230 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: what really amazed me. You know, I don't know if 231 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: you do this or not. Wendy Patrick, California prosecutor, author 232 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: of red Flags on Amazon. Wendy, under the constitution, you 233 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: can't force a defendant into court in handcuffs or leg 234 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: irons or waist shackle. You can't force them to come 235 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: in in inmate jumpsuit, prison blues or orange or stripes, 236 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: whatever the case may be. But I would always keep 237 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: a jacket and pants and a couple of different sizes 238 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: in my office. So when a defendant would show up 239 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: on Monday morning trial calendar and say, oh, yeah, I 240 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: want to go to trial, but I don't have a suit, 241 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: I go, oh, I do have a suit for you. 242 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: And of course I never had it claimed ever in 243 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: the ten years that I prosecuted, so they would just 244 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: have to wear the suit. But she was more concerned 245 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: about what she wore to court every day. She had 246 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: She actually had a personal dresser dialist dressing her for court, Wendy. 247 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: It's this entire mentality of I don't want to say 248 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: just not getting it. That would be too kind. It's 249 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: a complete underappreciation, or I should say non appreciation for 250 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: the fact that the rest of us work for a living. 251 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: Her family works for a living. There is so much 252 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: more to life than clothes and appearances an image. You know. 253 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: One of the things that distinguishes this case is the 254 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: fact that this over emphasis on image, on money, on 255 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: glamour sounds like it absolutely overrode every ounce of judgment 256 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: that she had and to take that into the courtroom 257 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: As you mentioned, Nancy is probably a little bit beyond 258 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: the pailful. Listen to our friends and Inside Edition. This 259 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: is Diane McInerney. This woman may look like she has 260 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: dressed for a fascist show, and her designer does. The 261 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: wanna be socialite is actually on trial for swindling hundreds 262 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,399 Speaker 1: of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting people. She was so 263 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: concerned about how she looked in court she actually hired 264 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,399 Speaker 1: a stylist. Is she in a courtroom or at a 265 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: red carpet event. Anna Saurkin is accused of posing as 266 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: an heiress to live an extravagant lifestyle, but it's what 267 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,959 Speaker 1: she's wearing to trial that is making headlines. The twenty 268 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: seven year old defendant showed up wearing a form fitting 269 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: black dress with a plunging neckline and choker necklace. It's 270 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: a look that could backfire a worn stylist, Don Karen. 271 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: Black dress definitely a no no. A hyper sexualize her. 272 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: It makes her appear to be like a seductress. The 273 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: choker kind of shows to me that she's trying to 274 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: be overtly sexy. The more sexy she appears to be, 275 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: it hurts her Sourkin is so obsessed with her clothes 276 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: she refused to enter the courtroom because the outfit she 277 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: was given to wear was not up to her standards. 278 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: The angry judge told her this is unacceptable and inappropriate. 279 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: This is not a fashion show. Sorkin's lawyer, Todd Spodek, 280 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: says accounts of his client delaying the trial because of 281 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: fashion are being blown out of proportion. It's not that 282 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: she didn't want to come out only because of the clothes. 283 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 1: She's going through a major criminal trial that's publicized every day. 284 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: It's emotional, and it's her life. Don't cry too much 285 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 1: for Annasarakin because apparently there's a bidding war going on 286 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: for her story. I guess it's going to end up 287 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: on Netflix or HBO or maybe even on the big screen, Jackie, 288 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: What do you know? Ancy? Netflix did win the rights 289 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: to that story, and Hollywood executive Shanda Rhimes secured the deal. Reportedly, 290 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 1: the streaming giant agreed to pay one hundred thousand dollars 291 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: for the story, plus seven thousand, five hundred dollars royalty 292 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: and fifteen thousand dollars per episode consulting fee. Now Sorkin 293 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: received thirty thousand of that upfront, but it went to 294 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: her lawyer for fees. Now the rest of the money 295 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: is being kept in s by the State Attorney General's office, 296 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: which is trying to invoke a Son of Sam law. 297 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: That's the name for any law that seeks to prevent 298 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: criminals from profiting off their crimes. It's named after Son 299 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: of Sam killer David Berkowitz, the serial killer who was 300 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: prevented in nineteen seventy seven from selling the TV or 301 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 1: film rights to his murder Rampage Crime Stories with Nancy 302 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: Grace Welcome Back. For years, Anna Sarkin dreamed about being 303 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: someone else, a Russian immigrant with dreams of becoming a 304 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: member of Manhattan's elite society. Sarkin hopped around Germany in 305 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: Paris before finally coming to New York. But she came 306 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 1: there with a brand new identity, a fake identity of 307 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: a wealthy German heiress with a trust fund worth sixty 308 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: million euros. She came up with a new name, Anna Delvi, 309 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: and lived under the fake name as she built exclusive hotels, 310 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: bank personnel restaurant, even a private jet company out of 311 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: nearly a quarter million dollars. How did she do it? 312 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 1: Then she launches into a month long trial, a jury trial, 313 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 1: rejecting a pretty lenient plea deal offered to her. The 314 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: trial got more and more bizarre. There were the challenges 315 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: of styling the inmate in court. She appeared to still 316 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: be the character of Anna Delvi. She would be decked 317 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: out in designer clothes, and I found out the name 318 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: of the stylist, Anastasia Walker out. At the very beginning, 319 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 1: she was wearing revealing outfits, but toned that down as 320 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: the trial went on. One witness that really stood out 321 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: in my mind was a close friend of Anna Saurkans 322 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: who testified extensively about the luxury lifestyle. The two of 323 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: them lived very expensive dinners, sauna treatments, personal trainers, all 324 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: paid for by Anna Saurkan. Then they decided to take 325 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: a dream trip to Marrakesh. There she ended up sticking 326 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,959 Speaker 1: the friend with the bill to the tune of around 327 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: sixty thousand dollars. How do you feel about Annasarekan today? 328 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: I believe she's a sociopath. Rachel's now speaking on camera 329 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: for the first time about how she says her former 330 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: friend betrayed her, a tale she recounts in her new 331 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: book My friend Anna The True story of a fake 332 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: eras I don't actually feel a lot of anger. Mostly 333 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 1: I just feel like I would like to never cross 334 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: paths with her again. In the spring of twenty seventeen, 335 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 1: Rachel tells us Anna offered an all expensive pay trip 336 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,199 Speaker 1: to Marrakesh in a lavish seventy five hundred dollars a 337 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:16,679 Speaker 1: night villa. It was shockingly opulent. Your eyes must have 338 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,199 Speaker 1: been popping out of your Absolutely in New York. We 339 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: did these things a it Racco. That's when I was 340 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: kind of like, oh, like I thought I understood your world, 341 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: but actually this is ridiculous. It was, I mean, it 342 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: was amazing until it wasn't. That's because Rachel says, suddenly 343 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: Anna's credit cards mysteriously weren't working. When it was time 344 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 1: to settle up with the hotel, the managers began to 345 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: pull Anna aside, and it sort of slowly escalating that 346 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 1: there's some tension between Anna and the hotel. After a 347 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: few days of hounding Anna, the hotel had had enough. 348 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: The men just stood in our villa and they were 349 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: waiting for her to fix it. And they want payment, Yes, 350 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: they want a credit card that works right there, right now. 351 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: Like they're done. Wait, Rachel tells us she's fearful of 352 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: being stranded in a foreign country, so she offers her 353 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,920 Speaker 1: credit cards as a temporary backup, even though she can't 354 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: afford it. I leave early on Friday morning. When I land, 355 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: I get a text message that the whole bill is 356 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: being charged to my cards. How much? Sixty two thousand dollars? 357 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: Sixty two thousand dollars? How did you even wrap your 358 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: mind fround that? It was such a complex, paralyzing moment 359 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: for me. She owed me more money than I made 360 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: any year back in New York. Anna doesn't send Rachel 361 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:38,400 Speaker 1: the money, instead making excuse after excuse, texting, I will 362 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: get it sorted, so you have it this week, Rachel replying, 363 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: I'm in serious trouble. Anna. What friend leaves another person 364 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 1: in this situation for this long? What is going on 365 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: for you internally? I am late with my rent and 366 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,479 Speaker 1: late with my credit card payments. I'm in a lot 367 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,679 Speaker 1: of trouble. You know. That's the kind of trip people 368 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: plan their whole lines, and Anna Sarkan managed to do it, 369 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: a sixty thousand dollars trip to Morocco, spending time in 370 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: a private villa a steam room, a private pool, shopping 371 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: spending nearly fifteen hundred dollars on Moroccan style dresses because 372 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: Anna only had her New York Black clothing with her. 373 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: I mean, it just goes on and on. Many influential 374 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: people conned by Sarkan. We're never asked to take the 375 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 1: stand during the trial. It goes on and on in 376 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: the courtroom, but ultimately the jury saw through the whole thing. 377 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: The charade goes on as she gives an interview to 378 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: a New York Times reporter. But I want to focus 379 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: on the trial and how she ends up with a 380 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: sentence of four to twelve years behind bars. There was 381 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: one story that came out at trial how she hired 382 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: a PR firm to organized her birthday party in Soho. 383 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:07,679 Speaker 1: It emerged she never paid the bill. During her stay 384 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: at eleven Howard, she struck up a friend there in 385 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: addition to the concierge's too, and ask for the recommendations 386 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: for the very Vetti Vetti best food in Soho. We 387 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,360 Speaker 1: also learned that on one occasion she invited friends to 388 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: dinner at Soho sent and bro and the friend ended 389 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: up paying a whopper massive bill when Sorokan's twelve credit 390 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: cards were all declined, but Sorokan paid her back triple 391 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 1: the amount the following day in cash. We also learned 392 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: that she would go to unique treatments like infrared saunas 393 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: in the East Village, go out to dinner after celebrity 394 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: training session with Casey Duke, which Sarakin also paid for 395 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: John Limley. How did she get money from one bank 396 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 1: to get a loan from another bank? How did that works? 397 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 1: It's a very interesting line to follow. How she did this. 398 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: She would go to a bank and ask for a 399 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: certain line of credit based on a lot of times 400 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 1: just a promise of the fact that she had millions 401 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: overseas that she could repay the loan, and she would 402 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: go from one bank with that money to another bank 403 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: and get an even larger In fact, here's an example. 404 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: She talked to an to an executive with City National 405 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: Bank into giving her a line of credit on her 406 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: account for one hundred thousand dollars, promising to repay it 407 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: with a wire transfer from a European account. She used 408 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: that money in a failed attempt to secure a twenty 409 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 1: five million dollar loan from Fortress Investment Group and one 410 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: of the managing directors at Fortress has said that she 411 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: ran into problems providing details about the origin of her wealth. 412 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 1: Someone actually thought to ask about that. You know, her 413 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 1: lies became more and more spectacular, Wendy Patrick, California Prosecutor. 414 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:28,360 Speaker 1: In fact, she even managed to charter a private plane 415 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: on one occasion with absolutely zero money. Wendy, how do 416 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,719 Speaker 1: you do that? Yeah. The level of sophistication Nancy, as 417 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: John was explaining, and as we know now looking back, 418 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: was absolutely stunning. It was almost as if she was 419 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 1: daring authorities to catch her in this escalating scheme of sophistication. 420 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: And you know, the answer to how you do that 421 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,400 Speaker 1: is the same way we commit we see people committing 422 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: other crimes. Is sometimes people are so trusting because image matters. 423 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: You know, this is something I talk about in my book. 424 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: We tend to attribute all these positive of qualities to 425 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: somebody who comes across as believable, whether they're pretty, or 426 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: that we like what they say, or we're enamored with 427 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: their acts and or their clothes. All the types of 428 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: things that Anna used to get ahead can fool other 429 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: people into letting them acquire the kind of wealth and 430 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,400 Speaker 1: as you point out tangible benefits that this young lady did. 431 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 1: Crime stories with Nancy Grace. Welcome back, I Nancy Grace. 432 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: This is crime stories. We're talking about Anna Saurkan, the 433 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: fake German heiress that managed to build Manhattan socializes out 434 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now she gives a 435 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: jailhouse interview talk about narcissism. But she did manage to 436 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: get a leading publication. The New York Times at her 437 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: beck and call to interview her. What is it about 438 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: Anna Sarkan aka Anna Delvi that transfixed so many people 439 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: who were willing to open their homes and their wallets 440 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: to her. Take a Listen to friend Rachel Williams speaking 441 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: to Deborah Roberts Nightline. Rachel's convinced that she's been duped 442 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: and goes to authorities. In the summer of twenty seventeen, 443 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: police arrest Anna Sorkin in Malibu, California. If she did 444 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: this to me and I was her friend, she would 445 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: do it to anybody, and I just wanted to protect 446 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: other people. Anna is charged with grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, 447 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: and theft of services. During the trial, prosecutors arguing she 448 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: stole more than a quarter of a million dollars from banks, 449 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: who Tells and a private jet operator to fund a 450 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: lavish lifestyle. Anna's attorney insisting Rachel is not a victim. 451 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: I don't believe a criminal act occurred. She made a 452 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: voluntary choice to put this debt on her credit card. 453 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: She didn't have to. Rachel testified facing her former friend 454 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: in court. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I 455 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: did look at her. She was smirking at me. Did 456 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: it unnerve you no? Shockingly, I thought it would, But 457 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: I think understanding her for who she was, it caused 458 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: her to lose her power and she became no longer 459 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: scary to me. In May, twenty eight year old Annasaurkin 460 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: was convicted of eight charges against her, including grant larceny, 461 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: but found not guilty of defrauding Rachel. Some of the 462 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: jurors didn't feel sympathetic for your situation with Anna. How 463 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: did that feel for you? Oh? That was devastating. To 464 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: have shared so publicly something that was so deeply personal 465 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: and painful for me was extremely hard. And then to 466 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: have that come out as the takeaway was extremely upsetting. 467 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: Anna was sentenced to four to twelve years in prison 468 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: and ordered to pay nearly two hundred thousand dollars in restitution. 469 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: As for that huge which credit card bill? Did you 470 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 1: have to pay that money? Ultimately think, thank goodness American 471 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:10,479 Speaker 1: Express did protect me from the hotel charge, which was 472 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: the bulk of the expenses. Another aspect to this, John Lumley, 473 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: is I remember one day when John David came running 474 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: home and so and So's mom is so cool. She 475 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 1: works for Chick fil A and she gets free T 476 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 1: shirts and she gets this, and she gets that. I 477 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 1: think the lady who's very lovely was in marketing or 478 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: PR and would bring home, you know, like a T 479 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: shirt or a mookau or whatever they had. And I 480 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: thought briefly of creating a different persona to try to 481 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:51,719 Speaker 1: impress John David's friends, who were then four years old. Okay, 482 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: but I just decided no, I'm just gonna stick with 483 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 1: the truth, you know, and let the chips fall where 484 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: they may. But John Lomley, I mean that would hurt 485 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: me if I found out the twins were lying about 486 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: their mom and dad, that what we are isn't good 487 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: enough to fit in to their self image they're projecting 488 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: that would really hurt my feelers. And that's exactly the 489 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 1: way her parents felt about the whole thing. They actually 490 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: did helped fund her through college and as she was 491 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: getting out on her own, but there was never any 492 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: sort of trust fund. She moved to Germany in two 493 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: thousand and seven, and after she dropped out of college, 494 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: she interned in public relations before then moving to Paris 495 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: and became an intern at Purple Magazine. Once she arrived 496 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: in New York City, she just somehow managed to be 497 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: in all the sort of right places. And she was 498 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 1: this German heiress, according to her, with a father that 499 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: you would think with Wait a minute, I thought she 500 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: was supposed to be a Russian heiress. Well, no, she 501 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 1: was from Russia, but she told people she was a 502 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: German heiress. What's really funny, though, is that her German, 503 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: according to a lot of people, was terrible. H I 504 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 1: want you to take a listen to what the defense 505 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: claims in closing arguments. She had to fake it until 506 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: she could make it. Those words from the defendant's own attorney, 507 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: who claims she never intended to commit a crime, but 508 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: prosecutors call her fraud and a liar who would do 509 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 1: almost anything to prolong her life of luxury. This morning 510 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: the fate of an alleged scam artist, the style savvy defendant, 511 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 1: even turning heads in court wearing an animal print dress. 512 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 1: She called herself Anna Delvi, a fashionable globetrotter who prosecutors 513 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: say was pretending to be a high flying German heiress 514 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 1: living a fairytale life of glitz and glam among Manhattan's elite. 515 00:33:50,960 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: That is import, prosecutors say, the twenty eight year old, 516 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: whose real name is Anna Sorkin, stole two hundred and 517 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: seventy five thousand dollars from banks, hotels, and friends, all 518 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,280 Speaker 1: part of an elaborate scheme to keep up her illusion 519 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: of grander. Prosecutors also alleged Sorkin tried securing a twenty 520 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 1: two million dollar loan to operate a private club, claims 521 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: her lawyer denies. I do not believe she had the 522 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,439 Speaker 1: intent to ever commit a crime. Whether she owes people money, 523 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,240 Speaker 1: that's effect of life, that's the reality of doing business 524 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 1: in New York. Now facing charges of grand larceny and theft, 525 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: she could spend up to fifteen years in prison if convicted, 526 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 1: but officials say even if acquitted, she will be deported 527 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 1: to Germany. Sorkin's attorney says she got in over her 528 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,239 Speaker 1: head but was just buying time until she could pay 529 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 1: everyone back. You're hearing our buddy Johnson at GMA, at 530 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: ABC pay everybody back. I saw no signs of paying 531 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: everybody back and calling this doing business. That's certainly putting 532 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 1: perfume on the pig. Now you know there's a problem. 533 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 1: Wendy Patcheck, California prosecut an author of red flags. When 534 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:06,919 Speaker 1: the defense to theft and fraud is fake it till 535 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: you make it, okay, I would not say that that's 536 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 1: a valid defense and a fraud case you're admitting you're 537 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:16,279 Speaker 1: faking it. It's probably not a good theme for the 538 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:19,799 Speaker 1: defense one. I'm sure they're rethinking right about now. You 539 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: don't want to that's kind of playing right into the 540 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 1: prosecutor's case. Now. What they probably were trying to do, 541 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:27,799 Speaker 1: interestingly in trial and Nancy, you and I have both 542 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 1: seen this is really kind of painting this vulnerability picture 543 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 1: of the defendant to try to make somebody feel sorry 544 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 1: for her, that she was caught up in this false lifestyle, 545 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:38,480 Speaker 1: felt she had to pretend she was somebody she wasn't 546 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 1: who can't relate to that. There's a little bit of 547 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 1: Anna and all of us, you know, some of the 548 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 1: themes we saw. I want to isolate what you just said. 549 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 1: The defense argued at trial as if Anna Sirokan aka 550 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 1: Anna Delphi was some type of a renegade and a rebel, 551 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: someone who was, you know, making her own path in 552 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 1: the world creatively. B s. Don't tell me there's a 553 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: little bit of Anna Sroken in me, because that was 554 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:09,359 Speaker 1: their defense. There's a little bit of Anna and all 555 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 1: of us. No, because she is a fraud, a thief, 556 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:19,439 Speaker 1: and she ripped people off and they're never gonna get repaid. Wendy, right, 557 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 1: that's what I'm saying that. Well, that's probably why she 558 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:25,800 Speaker 1: was convicted, because these defenses are just not realistic to jurors, 559 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 1: to hard working jurors that go on camping trips like 560 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:32,000 Speaker 1: you did, and Jess cannot relate to the fact that 561 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 1: we are anything like this picture of Anna. Nonetheless, we 562 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: have seen this defense timing again and thankfully it is 563 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: not successful. You know. And speaking of my little camping trip, 564 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: God willing I get to go on another one. Take 565 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:49,319 Speaker 1: a listen, to this. The courtroom drama played out late 566 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:52,160 Speaker 1: into the evening. At one point the jury appeared deadlock, 567 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: the defense asking for a mistrial, but then the verdict, 568 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 1: jurors agreeing with the prosecution that Anna Saurakin builds her 569 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: fairy tale life foundation of theft and lies. Overnight, a 570 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 1: New York City jury finding socialite Annasrikin, a so called 571 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: SOHO grifter, guilty on eight counts, including grand larceny, attempted 572 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:16,720 Speaker 1: grand larceny, and theft of services. Prosecutors arguing the twenty 573 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: eight year old stole a quarter of a million dollars 574 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,839 Speaker 1: from banks, hotels, and friends to fund a lavish lifestyle. 575 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,280 Speaker 1: The jurors obviously believed our point of view and followed 576 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,759 Speaker 1: our logic and acquitted her to the top charge. I'm 577 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:30,319 Speaker 1: sad and that she was convicted of some of the 578 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:34,240 Speaker 1: other charges. Prosecutors say the Russian born Sorokin, who called 579 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:37,400 Speaker 1: herself Anna Delvi, was pretending to be a high flying 580 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:41,320 Speaker 1: German heiress living a life of glamor among Manhattan's elite. 581 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:45,120 Speaker 1: Authorities say she even forged financial documents hoping to get 582 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:47,960 Speaker 1: a twenty two million dollar loan to open a private 583 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 1: club in the Big Apple. While she was turned down, 584 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:53,280 Speaker 1: she did convince one bank to loan her one hundred 585 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,759 Speaker 1: thousand dollars, which she never paid back or lawyer saying 586 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,360 Speaker 1: she meant to but had gotten in over her head 587 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:02,719 Speaker 1: and was buying time. Well, I guarantee you she's not 588 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 1: getting breakfast in bad fresh watermelon and rose rikers. Nancy 589 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,839 Speaker 1: Grace Crime Story, signing off Goodbye friend,