Anna Sorokin Case: Phony Heiress Set To Stand Trial In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Anna Sorokin lived the high life, jet-setting around the world a living in five-star hotels.
But prosecutors say her lavish lifestyle as an alleged heiress was all a lie – nothing more than old-fashioned American greed.
The so-called socialite walked into a Manhattan courtroom, handcuffed, in modest clothing rather than decked out in the expensive outfits she's used to wearing while pretending to be a wealthy German heiress.
READ: Anna Sorokin Indictment | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Authorities say the 28-year-old is a fraudster who owes nearly $300,000 to banks, hotels, and friends. She's now facing grand larceny and theft charges, but her defense attorney says theft wasn't her intention.
"Fake it until you make it. Anna had to live by this," defense attorney Todd Spodek said.
Sorokin was arrested in October of 2017 and held without bail at Rikers Island ever since.
It's a stark contrast to the lavish lifestyle displayed on her Instagram account, featuring luxury hotel rooms she lived in but couldn't afford.
Court documents say Sorokin convinced banks to allow her to take out large loans that she couldn't pay back. She's also allegedly promised a friend an all-expense paid trip then left her with a $62,000 bill.
"She initially was able to do things and get away with them legally, other people picked up bills, paid the tab," Spodek said.
Instead authorities say the Russian-born, German citizen doesn't have a cent to her name.
Though she allegedly claimed to everyone she met her father was extremely wealthy, her lawyer admitted he's not.
Regardless of the outcome of this trial, Sorokin faces deportation to Germany because authorities say she overstayed her U.S. Visa.
Her story however, may be soon turned into a Netflix television series.
