Podcast Summary: The Hidden Third—Anna Delvey / Fake Heiress

Podcast: The Hidden Third
Host: Mariana van Zeller
Guest: Anna Sorokin (aka Anna Delvey)
Date: January 7, 2026
Episode: Anna Delvey / Fake Heiress

Episode Overview

This episode features a rare, candid, and sometimes contentious interview with Anna Sorokin, better known as Anna Delvey—the so-called "fake heiress" whose audacious infiltration of the New York elite inspired the Netflix series Inventing Anna. Host Mariana van Zeller seeks to go beyond the media narrative, exploring Anna’s motivations, experiences before and after her crimes, her personal reflections, and her life under house arrest as she navigates a pending immigration case.

Anna is candid but guarded, often reluctant to dwell on the details of her criminal past and the impact it had on others, while pushing back on attempts to label her or glamorize her story. The conversation is frequently tense as Mariana tries to get Anna to articulate remorse and reflect on her actions and the repercussions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life, Education, and Ambition

• Childhood and Moving:
  Anna discusses her early years in Russia and the move to Germany at age 14, noting that switching countries "prepared me so much for real life because real life is not comfortable."
  (05:09)

• Academic Interests:
  She excelled at languages but skipped over subjects she didn’t care for (notably geography). Anna describes a pragmatic approach: "I realized that you don't need to…know everything. It's better to be, like, focused."
  (07:35)

• Lack of Attachment:
  Anna describes not having strong national identity: "I just think generally I don't have any nationalistic pride or attachment to any place because I moved around so much."
  (77:28)

Entering the Fashion World & New York Social Scene

• Move to Paris, Internships:
  Anna shares her time working at Purple magazine and feeling isolated in Paris despite professional opportunities, eventually gravitating to the social and professional scene in New York.
  (12:13–15:38)

• Ambitious Plans:
  At 23, she conceived the "Anna Delvey Foundation", originally designed as an art foundation and members club in an iconic New York building. She claims, "It takes just as much energy to build something small as it does…to build something big."
  (20:48–21:07)

The Con, The Crime, and Justifications

• Genesis of the Scam:
  Anna justifies her actions largely as a result of feeling pressured to secure a property with investor interest and deal with time constraints.
  (22:47–24:22)

• Rationalizing the Fraud:
  Anna insists her intentions weren’t malicious: "Everybody was going to get repaid and it's going to be a profitable business…nobody else would like want to be involved if it was a fail from the start."
  (24:43)

• Refusals and Evasions:
  Throughout, Anna repeatedly declines to go into detail (“My case is still on appeal, so I’m not going to, like, give you a confession”). She deflects when pressed for emotional or moral introspection.

Prison, Friendship, and Aftermath

• Prison Experience:
  Anna describes her time in various New York prisons—meeting infamous inmates, hating the experience, and appreciating the routines that allowed her to "entertain myself."
  (41:03–47:05)

• Friendships and Fallout:
  She remains friends with some from her past but is frank about others: “With friends like this, you don’t…need enemies” (re: Rachel Williams). Anna’s view: “Jail is a pretty isolating experience. Like you find out who's your friend.”
  (38:34–39:27)

• Prison Reform Aspirations:
  Anna reveals current work on prison reform: "Prison system in the form that it's now, it's like, abusive and punishing, and it turns people into better criminals. I don't think it's about rehabilitation."
  (66:18)

Remorse, Reputation, and Future

• Reluctant Remorse:
  Repeatedly pressed about feeling sorry, Anna is ambivalent: “Actions speak louder…Of course, anyone can just come out and say how sorry they are and then don't really mean it.” Eventually:

  • “I apologize for the mistakes I’ve made in the past.” (67:30)
  • “Yes,” to the question if she would do things differently and not commit the same crimes. (68:50)

• Life Today:
  Anna now resides in Manhattan under immigration house arrest. She works on projects in fashion, art, and media, including a production company and plans for a book.
  (54:00–54:16)

• Reflections and Insecurities:
  She admits to being more cautious and insecure than in her pre-fame years, second-guessing her decisions and uncertain about her future.
  (57:18–59:10)

• Identity and Public Perception:
  Anna is keen not to be forever defined by her crimes: “I don't want to be remembered by my crime. And I want…that's the only thing people associate me with for the rest of my life.”
  (59:16)

Personal Tidbits & Humor

• Fashion, Art, and Personality:
  Anna is witty, sarcastic, and often self-deprecating. She jokes about being a stand-up comedian and uses sarcasm to deflect probing questions.
  (09:15, 68:19, 68:34)

• Dating & Relationships:
  She confirms she is dating but offers no further details: “No boyfriend reveal on this podcast, I’m sorry.”
  (69:18–69:31)

• Immigration Status:
  Anna continues to fight to remain in the U.S., with her status unresolved and restricted to a 75-mile travel radius.
  (04:12–04:35)

• Art & Business:
  She sells art (originals and prints) and has found commissions increasingly popular, with originals fetching about $20,000.
  (73:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Her Motivations:
  "I don't see whatever the path that I've taken as a way to success. I think it's actually really hard. And people just try to make it out to be like, I committed crimes and now I just get to do whatever I want. And that's like, not the case at all." (01:46, 29:45)

• On Facing the Consequences:
  “I was the only person who was on house arrest for immigration purposes, and nobody was interested in that story.” (30:13)

• On Facing Stress:
  "Having money is easier than not having money." (26:43)

• On Remorse:
  “I apologize for the mistakes I’ve made in the past.” (67:30)

• On Press Coverage During the Trial:
  “Why is it like, that's so outrageous…I’m a girl and like you sitting there taking pictures of me eight hours a day. Like, obviously I don’t want to look like shit.” (35:15)

• On People’s Perception:
  “It's interesting to me, or self-preservation, right? Because there's a lot of really nasty comments out there in general for everyone.” (56:26)

• On Her Current Life:
  "I live in downtown Manhattan and just, like, working on my project. I'm actually working on prison reform and, like, a couple of my fashion projects." (54:00)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Early struggle, move to Germany, language learning: 05:09–07:35
• First ambitions in fashion and moving to Paris/New York: 12:13–15:38
• Launching the Anna Delvey Foundation and scam pressure: 17:28–24:22
• Rationalizing and justifying actions: 24:43–25:41
• Friendships lost and retained after scandal: 38:34–39:27
• Arrest and prison experience: 41:03–47:05
• Contraband in prison, prison economy: 47:40–49:29
• Adjustment after prison, re-entry to society: 51:39–52:47
• Reluctance and remorse: 63:39–67:50
• On not wishing to repeat her crimes: 68:19–68:50
• Current projects and personal life: 54:00–54:16, 69:11–73:37

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is marked by Anna’s characteristic deflection and dry wit, with moments of vulnerability and honesty emerging despite her reluctance. Mariana attempts to elicit remorse and deeper reflection, sometimes encountering resistance and sarcasm. Anna’s story is ultimately framed not as glamorizing crime, but as an exploration of the psychological, logistical, and social forces behind her actions—and the ongoing struggle to be defined by something more than her infamy.

Memorable Closing:
Anna, when pressed repeatedly about her regret and whether she would do it all again, delivers a deadpan:

“No, I would not do it again.” (68:50)

For listeners seeking an unvarnished view into a scandalous case that gripped global headlines, Anna Delvey’s episode offers rare access to both myth and reality—the elusive “hidden third” of the story.