Thursday, October 27, 2022

"My Friend Anna" by Rachel Williams

As the cover states, this is "the true story of a fake heiress".  Rachel (the author) met Anna in New York City.  They quickly became friends and explored the city together.  Anna presented herself as a German heiress set to inherit tens of millions of dollars.  She played the part well with extravagant dinners, spa outings, beauty sessions, designer clothes, and more.  One day Anna suggested Rachel join her for a vacation in Morocco.  Anna normally covered the tab (Rachel did not make much money as a fashion assistant) and said the trip would be fully covered.  However, when Anna's credit card was declined in Morocco and hotel management wanted payment, Rachel paid with her own credit cards.  Anna told Rachel she would pay her back once back in America but the payment never materialized.  As it turns out, the vacation expenses put Rachel over $60,000 in debt (more than she made in a year); she resorted to family loans to cover rent.  Eventually Rachel discovered the truth about Anna, that she was not an heiress and didn't have a penny to her name.  Rachel helped police arrest Anna, who was later pronounced guilty in course for theft of services.  Over the course of a few months, Anna had stayed at extravagant hotels and even chartered a private jet all without actually paying the hotels or pilots.  This book is the sad but fascinating story of a woman who conned banks, businesses, and friends.

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