Socialite grifter convicted, despite help from courtroom stylist; she allegedly fooled law firms
Photo by Alexander Kalina/Shutterstock.com.
A professional courtroom stylist was unable to win an acquittal for accused socialite grifter Anna Sorokin, who was also accused but not charged with duping three BigLaw firms.
Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, was convicted last week for scamming more than $200,000 from hotels, restaurants and banks, report the New York Times (here, here and here), the American Lawyer and a press release. She was acquitted on two charges.
Prosecutors said Sorokin had posed as a German heiress. In reality, “she did not have a cent to her name,” the New York Times reported, citing prosecutors.
Prosecutors didn’t charge Sorokin with duping law firms, but did say in court documents that she had failed to pay $160,000 in fees to Perkins Coie, $65,000 to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and $30,000 to Lowenstein Sandler.
Professional stylist Anastasia Walker had picked out Sorokin’s courtroom outfits, which were borrowed from a secret benefactor, according to the New York Times and GQ.
One New York Times story says Sorokin wore revealing outfits at the start of the trial and dressed more modestly by the second week. A second New York Times story said Sorokin wore mostly black, white and beige outfits, including short baby doll dresses with ruffles and ties. The Times described the dresses as “more fit for communion than the courtroom.” A Times slideshow of some of the outfits is here.
Eventually, Sorokin’s lawyer, Todd Spodek, also tried to get involved in the clothing selection. He offered a sleeveless Ann Taylor dress and an an indigo cashmere-blend sweater from Uniqlo. “Such choices did not appease the fashion sensibilities of Ms. Sorokin, who broke into tears and refused to start proceedings,” the New York Times reported.
The judge told Sorokin she could wear prison garb if she couldn’t make do with the clothes made available to her.
Hat tip to @EdAdams.
