Anna Sorokin, the convicted fraudster known for posing as a German heiress, has said she is 'horrified' after three rabbits used in her photoshoot were found dumped in a New York park. The animals were discovered in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, days after Sorokin posted an Instagram picture of herself holding two leashed rabbits outside a Tribeca subway station.
The first rabbit, a one-and-a-half-year-old Harlequin lop, was found by Terry Chao near a cardboard box that had been used as part of the photoshoot. Two more rabbits were found nearby in the following days, one near the same box and another near a black carrier bag. Sorokin denied responsibility, stating she had no involvement in the acquisition or disposal of the animals.
The photographer, Jasper Egan Soloff, said through a lawyer that he was not involved in the shoot and had no knowledge of how the rabbits were obtained or handled. Another person involved in the shoot has reportedly apologised in a since-deleted Instagram post, saying he panicked when the rabbits were surrendered to him and released them, mistakenly believing there were already rabbits in the area.
Sorokin offered to help rehome the rabbits when she learned of the abandonment. She told Page Six: 'I do not eat meat, and I had no involvement in the acquisition, transport, or return of these animals. I would never condone these actions.' Social media users have accused her of animal cruelty, criticising the use of rabbits as props and the practice of holding them on their backs, which can be harmful.
Sorokin, who was released from prison in 2022 after serving nearly four years for fraud and theft, was also under immigration detention for overstaying her visa. Her probation terms included a restriction on posting on social media.
