Anna Delvey, the infamous con artist who once deceived New York’s elite, is now sharing her expertise on deception with contestants of the reality show The Anonymous. Known for her fraudulent scheme as a supposed wealthy heiress, Delvey has embraced her role as an unconventional advisor on the competition series.
In a recent interview with E! News, the 33-year-old Delvey, formerly Anna Sorokin, described The Anonymous as a show centered around deceit and manipulation. “It’s all about deception,” she said. “I might know a thing or two about deception.”
Delvey’s criminal past includes a nearly four-year prison sentence for grand larceny and theft of services. She infamously used fake credit cards and falsified documents to infiltrate high society, scamming thousands of dollars in the process. Her elaborate ruse allowed her to rub shoulders with the social elite before she was eventually caught and convicted.
The Anonymous revolves around contestants operating from private, secretive hideouts, where they can freely express their unfiltered opinions and strategize to outmaneuver their rivals. This premise, echoing Delvey’s own deceptive tactics, aligns closely with her former lifestyle.
Offering advice to the show’s participants, Delvey said, “Never be afraid to dress up your look—or the truth… trust me, I’d never lie to you.” Her remarks underscore her continued fascination with the art of deception, a skill she has honed through both her criminal exploits and subsequent public life.
Following her release from prison, Delvey has been under house arrest and has reflected on her past. In an interview with The New York Times, she discussed the personal growth she has experienced. “I learned so much being in jail. There’s a very well-documented arc about how I’ve felt about everything… I am regretful about the way things played out,” she said. She added, “The way I’ve tried to see my experience is to learn from it: Who I am today is because of the decisions I made in the past.”
Delvey also expressed her desire to avoid returning to her old ways. “I perform better under pressure. So many people just can’t wait to see me do something crazy, or illegal, and go back to jail. I would not want to give them the satisfaction,” she stated.
In her post-incarceration life, Anna Delvey has reinvented herself as a podcast host with The Anna Delvey Show. In 2023, she also ventured into music with the release of her single “What the Hell,” featuring Brooke Butler and Audio Chateau.
