Is inventing Anna based on a real person?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 19, 2026
Netflix's Inventing Anna tells the wild true story of Anna Sorokin, who posed as a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey while living in N.Y.C. Inventing Anna is one of the latest true-crime series to hit Netflix.
Is becoming Anna based on a true story?
The series tells the true story of Anna Delvey (Julia Garner), better known as Sorokin, the Russian-born fake German heiress who conned her way into New York society and managed to defraud hotels, banks and wealthy friends.
Is Anna Delvey a real person?
Anna Delvey was the pseudonym used by a German woman named Anna Sorokin who moved to New York in 2013. Under the fake name, Sorokin pretended to be a wealthy German heiress in order to establish herself in New York's social scene.
What happened to Inventing Anna in real life?
Anna Sorokin was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison
The con artist, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, was arrested in 2018 and found guilty in May 2019. A Manhattan jury convicted her on one count of attempted grand larceny, three counts of grand larceny and four counts of theft services.
Is Inventing Anna accurate?
Some of Anna's Escapades Were Made Up or Exaggerated
Plenty of the bizarre events of the series are real, but a few storylines are aggrandized or completely fabricated. Anna doesn't recall overstaying her welcome on an acquaintance's yacht, or racking up $400,000 on someone else's credit card at Bergdorf Goodman.
34 related questions foundWas Anna a heiress?
Anna Delvey Has Lived Many Lives. After Inventing Anna, This Is Where She Is Now. The fake German heiress was deported, but never boarded her flight to Frankfurt.
What was fake in Inventing Anna?
Inventing Anna reveals that Anna had been using a burner phone with a European SIM to fake the calls; she had also bought a voice disguising software so that her voice would sound like a German man's. In real life, Sorokin did give Alan the details of one Peter Hennecke.
Is Neff from Inventing Anna real?
Neffatari Davis, the real-life person who inspired the character Neff in the Netflix series Inventing Anna, has opened up about what really happened. In a recent interview, Neffatari opened up about her friendship with Anna Delvey and why she still considers her a friend, despite everything that happened.
Is Anna Sorokin rich?
As Pressler reported, Sorokin claimed assets of around $60 million, which she said was in a German trust, and sought a $22 million loan to acquire the pricey piece of Park Avenue real estate she hoped would house her organization.
Does Anna Delvey speak 7 languages?
Netflix Anna claims to have a photographic memory and to speak seven languages. “Not seven,” Sorokin clarified. “I speak four languages—in three voices.”
Who is Anna Delvey based on?
Netflix's Inventing Anna tells the wild true story of Anna Sorokin, who posed as a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey while living in N.Y.C. Inventing Anna is one of the latest true-crime series to hit Netflix.
Who are Anna Delvey's parents?
Her father is living in her hometown in Germany
At the time, her father, Vadim Sorokin, was a truck driver who was about to open a heating and cooling business, and her mother, whose name is unknown, owned a small convenience store.
Is 12 George a real hotel?
12 George Hotel: This fictional hotel seems to be a stand-in for the real-life 11 Howard Hotel, a sexy boutique hotel in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. Its official description is oh so Anna: “Danish minimalism meets New York realism.” Booking the Terrace Suite will set you back $3,000 a night, last we checked.
Is Rachel real in Inventing Anna?
Rachel DeLoache Williams, the real-life person who was the inspiration for Katie Lowes' character in the Netflix series Inventing Anna, is once again calling out the streaming service. This time, Rachel is slamming Netflix for allegedly allowing Anna Sorokin to profit from her cons.
Why is Neff so loyal to Anna?
As for why she's still firm friends with Anna to this day (she even publicly wished her a Happy Birthday on Instagram last month), Neff's answer is simple: "Anna is my friend and always will be. We had to get to know each other again and develop healthy boundaries.
Who is Nora Radford based on?
Nora Radford is a former friend and mentor of Sorokin
According to Netflix Queue, Anna Sorokin allegedly charged over $40,000 in shopping expenses to a former friend and mentor's credit cards. However, there's no proof that Agnes Gund is the friend who is portrayed as Nora Radford in Inventing Anna.
Did Anna Sorokin get deported?
NEW YORK - Fake heiress Anna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, is still in ICE custody fighting extradition, officials have confirmed to FOX 5 News. "Sorokin was granted an additional stay of removal by the 2nd Circuit Court on March 21.
Is Anna Delvey rich?
Sorokin, 31, lived for several years in the 2010s as Anna Delvey, a wealthy German heiress of her own invention, convincing members of Manhattan's elite to finance her fine dining and travel.
Who is really Anna Sorokin?
Anna Sorokin was found guilty of theft of services and grand larceny in 2019. She now faces deportation to Germany for overstaying her visa. A Serial Scammer: Ms. Sorokin, a Russian immigrant, pretended to be a German heiress, swindling New York's elite out of more than $200,000.
Is Neff a real person?
While watching Inventing Anna, Netflix viewers can't help but Google Neff Davis to find out if she's a real person in the life of Anna Delvey (aka Sorokin). Not only is the character of Neff portrayed accurately by Alexis Floyd, but the real-life Neff consulted on the Netflix show with Shonda Rhimes.
Who is Neff based on?
The show's character Neff is based on Neffatari Davis, an inspiring filmmaker who was working as a concierge at 11 Howard's luxury hotel when she met Delvey in 2017. In fact, Alexis Floyd (The Bold Type) – who plays Neff – sat down with Davis ahead of filming Inventing Anna to help inform the role.
Is the Manhattan a real magazine?
Eventually, Haynes found a home for her story at New York magazine — the real-life version of Inventing Anna's fictional Manhattan magazine. Haynes says that while she didn't face the same exact challenges trying to get her story published as Vivian does, there were some things about it that felt familiar.
What did Anna Delvey's father do?
She claimed she was a German heiress, when in reality, her mom owned a small convenience store and her dad worked as a truck driver before he opened his own heating-and-cooling business.
Where is Anna Sorokin today?
The con artist — and dabbling artist — will remain at Goshen's Orange County Correctional Facility for now. Anna Sorokin, better known as Anna Delvey, is seen in the courtroom during her 2019 trial.
Did Anna Delvey really have a rich father?
Delvey's father owned and ran his own business, and according to him, his daughter had a 'normal' upbringing, going to school, attending prom and enjoying socialising with friends around the area.