Anna Sorokin granted release from ICE custody, ordered to stay away from all social media
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK: Con artist Anna Sorokin, also known by the name of Anna Delvey, was granted release from a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Wednesday, October 5. Sorokin, who is the inspiration behind the Netflix series 'Inventing Anna', posed as a German heiress and grifted millions from her friends and banks to support her lavish lifestyle.
The 31-year-old was arrested in March 2021 for overstaying her visa. According to Bloomberg, Sorokin has to pay a $10,000 bail. She is prohibited from using social media, where she previously used to share posts showing off her seemingly exuberant lifestyle.
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According to The Daily Beast, Sorokin will be under "24-hour confinement at the provided residential address for the duration of her immigration proceedings." The fake heiress must refrain from any social media "either directly or by a third party."
Sorokin's lawyer John Sandweg praised the judge's decision. He said, "She hasn't been accused of committing a crime since 2017. And the evidence clearly demonstrated that any risk she does pose can be adequately managed through supervision, electronic monitoring, parole, and the supervision of ICE."
Duncan Levin, another member of Sorokin's legal team, told The Daily Beast, "We are extremely gratified by the court's decision today to release Anna Sorokin. The judge rightfully recognized that Anna is not a danger to the community. While there are still a few hurdles to jump through on her release conditions, Anna is thrilled to be getting out so she can focus on appealing her wrongful conviction."
Levin added that she's still in custody due to "a few hurdles left, like posting bond."
As per the outlet, US Immigration Judge Charles Conroy determined that she "has demonstrated interest in pursuing legitimate employment in the United States, pursuits that will face heavy public scrutiny."
The judge added, "She will be required to abide by conditions of release imposed both by the New York State Parole Board and immigration authorities, which, combined with her status as a public figure, will make it particularly difficult for her to avoid detection. For all of these reasons, the Court finds that [Sorokin's] risk of flight sufficiently mitigated."
Sorokin, who had assumed the alias of Anna Delvey, reportedly defrauded over $200,000 from banks, businesses, and even friends while pretending to be a rich socialite. She also received a $22 million loan to allegedly open a nightclub by presenting forged documents to banks. Furthermore, she ripped off over $35,000 from Uber's helicopter service Blade.