Inventing Anna has understandably rocketed to the top of the Netflix charts, with Shonda Rhimes’ take on fake heiress Anna Delvey and her numerous scams having us gripped.
But for those of us who want to know more about the stranger-than-fiction tale, we need look no further than Generation Hustle, an HBO Max documentary series looking at the swindlers and scoundrels who grifted marks out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
You can watch a trailer here.
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The fourth episode of the series is titled Anna Delvey Takes Manhattan, and speaks to those who fell for the fake heiress, as well as those who were close to Delvey on the New York social scene.
The episode also speaks to Rachel DeLouche Williams, the former Vanity Fair staffer who accused Anna of leaving her to foot a $62,000 (£45,692) hotel bill.
A synopsis for the series reads: “Aided by a masterful social media presence, the young, awkward Anna Sorokin transforms herself into glamorous German heiress Anna Delvey. But after she sticks her friend Rachel with the bill for their lavish vacation, Anna's world begins to unravel.
“Convinced her friend is a con artist, Rachel works with the NYPD to piece together clues to track Anna down.”
Rachel has been disparaging about Netflix’s somewhat flattering portrayal of Anna Delvey’s scams.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Rachel explained: “This show is playing a fine line – peddling it as a true story, but also [in the opening disclaimer] saying, ‘except all the parts that aren’t.’
“At what point is the half-truth more dangerous than the lie?”
She continued: "I think promoting this whole narrative and celebrating a sociopathic, narcissistic, proven criminal is wrong. "Having had a front-row seat to [the Anna circus] for far too long, I’ve studied the way a con works more than anybody needs to. "You watch the spectacle, but you’re not paying attention to what’s being marketed."
Generation Hustle is available to watch on HBO Max in the USA. A UK airdate has not been confirmed.
Topics: TV And Film, Netflix
Kimberley Bond