Phony German heiress Anna Sorokin’s days of grifting thousands from friends, banks and restaurants may be over, but she did manage to ink a $100,000 deal with Netflix. Unfortunately for the former fraudulent party girl, she’ll probably never get her hands on any of it.
Sorokin made the deal with Netflix back in 2018, licensing her story to the streaming giant and Shonda Rhimes to create a show based on the fake heiress’s infamous exploits. Netflix reportedly agreed to pay Sorokin $100,000 for the story, plus $7,500 royalty and a $15,000-per-episode consulting fee. According to the New York Post, however, Sorokin’s big pay day probably isn’t coming anytime soon.
The $30,000 Sorokin was paid upfront for the deal reportedly already went to her lawyer, Todd Spodek, to cover legal fees, and the rest of the Netflix payout is currently being held in escrow while the state Attorney General’s Office tries to invoke a “Son of Sam” law to keep the money out of Sorokin’s hands. New York’s “Son of Sam” law is the name given to any law that prevents criminals from profiting off their crimes, starting with a 1977 ruling that prevented serial killer David Berkowitz from selling the TV or film rights to his murders. According to the Post, the AG is arguing for the rest of Sorokin’s Netflix earnings to be paid to her victims.
Meanwhile, Sorokin already owes $198,956.19 per a restitution order signed by Justice Diane Kiesel shortly after Sorokin’s conviction in April. Part of the money is ordered to go to City National Bank, which is petitioning the court for money after Sorokin defrauded the bank out of thousands using fake bank statements.
“As a representative of the crime victim, I have a valid claim against, and intend to sue immediately … this convicted person for damages caused by such crimes,” wrote bank lawyer Peter Hebert in an affidavit for the suit, per the Post.
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