Friends dis-united: The social scandal that tore Manhattan apart

Flip, irreverent and bitchy as hell, the internet sensation Socialite Rank caused a frenzy among Manhattan's hip, beautiful and obscenely wealthy. The anonymous website that put party girls in their places was loved - and feared - by the bright young things it fed on. But then the mystery bloggers went a posting too far...

Isaiah Wilner reports
Published: 14 May 2007

It was the perfect letter - if the goal was to blow up New York society. A bombshell of preening and aspiration, it set off a war between an ageing princess and the girl who threatened to snatch her crown.

There was just one catch: according to a complaint filed last week with the Manhattan district attorney's office, the letter was a fake.

The publisher of the letter was socialiterank.com, a mysterious website that appeared on 24 April, 2006, declaring itself unofficial judge, jury and executioner of 10021 - the postcode of upper Park Avenue and Fifth, and the home of many young women who appear on the charity-ball circuit. Each fortnight, the site released a "Social Elite Power Ranking", scoring the women on their style, public appearances and publicity efforts. The perennial No 1 girl was Tinsley Mortimer, a Virginia rug salesman's daughter who'd married into New York society.  continue...