How Did Anna Delvey Get Money In The Beginning

In the beginning, Anna Sorokin—who used the alias Anna Delvey—funded her lavish lifestyle through a calculated web of deception rather than inherited wealth. She posed as a German heiress with a multimillion-dollar trust fund, using this false identity to access elite social circles and manipulate individuals and institutions.

1. Fabricating Wealth and Identity
Sorokin claimed her father was a wealthy German magnate and that she had access to a €60 million trust fund. To support this lie, she created fake financial documents, including forged bank statements and emails from fictional financial advisors.

2. Gaining Social Credibility
By dressing the part and staying in luxury hotels like 11 Howard in New York, she built credibility among wealthy peers, investors, and service providers. Many believed she was good for the money—and extended her credit, services, or introductions accordingly.

3. Exploiting Short-Term Financial Gaps
She frequently floated bad checks and took advantage of processing delays in banking systems to make it appear as if she had funds. In some cases, she deposited fraudulent checks into her account and quickly withdrew cash before they bounced.

4. Living on Borrowed Time—and Money
Delvey relied on the goodwill of others—friends, hotels, and businesses—often convincing them to front her bills with promises of reimbursement. This included expensive dinners, shopping trips, and travel, such as a notorious unpaid $62,000 Morocco vacation charged to a friend’s card.

5. Attempting to Secure Major Financing
Her ultimate goal was to open an exclusive art-focused social club called the “Anna Delvey Foundation.” She sought a $22 million loan by pitching to banks and investors, supplementing her claims with forged financials and fake professional references.

Bottom Line:
Anna Delvey didn’t get money through inheritance or business success—she got it by fabricating her identity, forging financial documents, exploiting social trust, and manipulating systemic loopholes. Her story is a modern cautionary tale about how appearance and confidence can deceive even the most discerning institutions.