Anna Delvey has sparked fresh backlash after starring in a sponsored Instagram advert for erectile dysfunction treatment brand Ro Sparks. The campaign features her signature ankle monitor, prompting critics to question why brands continue to work with the convicted fraudster.
In the video, Delvey wears a short black keyhole dress, black sunglasses and heeled sandals as she walks down a flight of stairs carrying a round red leather handbag from Ro Sparks. The bag slips open to reveal the product inside, before the advert ends with the message: 'In case of emergency, take only what matters'.
Anna Delvey's Ad Sparks Outrage
The advert did not go down well with some viewers, who argued that Delvey's criminal past should not be repackaged as something cool or edgy. One online user wrote: 'This isn't fun or edgy. This is a criminal. She isn't an icon, she's a terrible person'. They also criticised companies for continuing to give people like her a platform.
Others were equally unimpressed with the decision to make her the face of a promotional campaign. 'They be making anyone famous these days', one person complained. Another asked: 'Can't we make some good role models famous for a change?'
One commenter also asked why Delvey had not been deported, bringing up the account of Rachel DeLoache Williams, who documented her experience with Delvey in her book, My Friend Anna. Williams described how their friendship ended after Delvey left her facing a substantial bill during a trip to Morocco.
Goop Faced Similar Backlash
Ro Sparks is not the first brand to face criticism for working with Delvey. Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Kitchen previously sparked a similar debate. The food delivery brand faced backlash over an advert featuring Delvey while she was under house arrest, with critics accusing the campaign of glamourising her criminal history.
The campaign's playful treatment of her circumstances prompted questions about whether brands were making light of the consequences of fraud. Although controversial collaborations can generate plenty of online engagement, the reaction showed that not everyone sees Delvey's notoriety as something worth celebrating.
The latest advert has revived that debate. For some people, there is a clear difference between using a recognisable face to sell a product and turning a convicted fraudster into a style icon.
Who Is Anna Delvey?
Anna Delvey is the alias used by Anna Sorokin, who posed as a wealthy German heiress while moving through New York's elite social circles between 2013 and 2017. She claimed to have a multimillion-pound fortune and used that false identity to gain access to luxury hotels, financial institutions and wealthy acquaintances.
Prosecutors said Delvey defrauded banks, hotels, restaurants and other people of approximately $275,000 (around £217,000 at the time). In 2019, she was convicted of multiple offences, including grand larceny, attempted grand larceny and theft of services, and sentenced to four to 12 years in prison.
Her story reached a much wider audience through Netflix's Inventing Anna, which dramatised her rise through New York's social scene and the deception behind her carefully constructed identity. But instead of disappearing from public view after her conviction, Delvey has continued to attract media attention through interviews, public appearances and commercial partnerships.
Delvey was released from prison in 2021 but was later detained by US immigration authorities over her immigration status. She was released from immigration custody in 2022 while contesting deportation, subject to restrictions that included home confinement.
