Con artist Anna Delvey added to "Dancing with the Stars" cast, ankle monitor and all

The faux heiress, parlaying infamy into celebrity, will appear on the show amid her ongoing deportation battle

Published September 4, 2024 7:34PM (EDT)

Anna Delvey is seen arriving at an immigration hearing on June 6, 2024 in New York, New York.  (MEGA/GC Images/Getty)
Anna Delvey is seen arriving at an immigration hearing on June 6, 2024 in New York, New York. (MEGA/GC Images/Getty)

Convicted fraudster Anna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, will star in the upcoming 33rd season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” completing the con artist’s parlay into celebrity. 

Delvey, who ascended to notoriety when news broke of her elaborate crime spree involving high-profile scams and deception, was portrayed by "Ozark" actor Julia Garner in a nine-part Netflix series in 2022, making her a household name.

The “Inventing Anna” muse will share the screen with "90210" star Tori Spelling, NBA champion Dwight Howard, Jenn Tran from "The Bachelorette" and Olympic pommel horse darling Stephen Nedoroscik, along with others, Good Morning America confirmed on Wednesday. Other “DWTS” competitors include “The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s” Phaedra Parks and Delvey’s soon-to-be dance partner Ezra Sosa.

“The media has seen a representation of her that I personally think is not her,” Sosa told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that he can’t wait for audiences to meet “the real Anna Delvey.”

Delvey, sporting an ankle monitor and shimmering gown in promotional images ahead of the season, is currently under house arrest, with permission to travel within the five boroughs of New York, per her house arrest conditions. 

Delvey says the monitor, imposed after she faked wire transfers, defrauded New York’s elite, and stiffed hotels and restaurants to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, shouldn’t hinder her performance too much.

“In what way would it affect my performance? It’s actually pretty light,” Delvey told The Hollywood Reporter.

The con artist turned real-life it-girl, who is fighting an immigration case after a judge allowed her to remain in the U.S. temporarily in 2022, confirmed that she “got permission from ICE” to appear on the show.

The German citizen, accused in 2021 of overstaying her visa, continues to fight to remain in the States.

The show’s 33rd season will premiere on ABC on Tuesday, Sept. 17.


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