‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin will compete on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ amid deportation battle (2024)

By KAITLYN HUAMANI

Share

  • Copy

    Link copied

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Print

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anna Sorokin, the con artist who was convicted of swindling banks, hotels and friends in 2019 after falsely building a reputation as a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey, has found her newest venture: “Dancing With the Stars.”

Described as the “notorious ankle bracelet fashionista” in a press release, Sorokin was announced Wednesday on “Good Morning America” along with the likes of former NBA star Dwight Howard, actor Tori Spelling and Jenn Tran, “The Bachelorette” lead whose season ended in heartbreak just Tuesday night. Tran, the first Asian American “Bachelorette,” was a contestant on Joey Graziadei’s season of “The Bachelor” — and he, too, will be vying for the trophy.

Complicating Sorokin’s latest starring role is the ankle bracelet she’s worn since October 2022, when she started her house arrest — though the show appears to be leaning into it with a promo image of Sorokin in a glittering dress and an ankle monitor on her leg. While she was released from prison in February 2021, immigration authorities picked her up shortly after she got out, claiming she overstayed her visa and must be returned to her native Germany. The “Inventing Anna” inspiration was in ICE custody for over a year before a judge cleared the way for her to switch to home confinement in October 2022 while she fights the deportation case.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not returned requests for comment regarding changes to Sorokin’s house arrest conditions to accommodate filming in the Los Angeles area. Sorokin’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, confirmed Tuesday that she could travel within 70 miles (112 kilometers) of her home base and anywhere in the five boroughs of New York City under previous house arrest conditions, but could not comment on any changes to those rules.

RELATED COVERAGE

French First Lady stars as surprise guest in new season of ‘Emily in Paris’

Will the Emmys be the ‘Shogun’ show? What to expect from Sunday’s show

‘The Mentalist’ star Simon Baker admits drinking and driving in Australia

While under house arrest, she had to abide by the immigration judge’s condition that she does not use social media, but Sorokin kept busy. She started a podcast —“The Anna Delvey Show”— that featured guests like comedian Whitney Cummings and technology journalist Taylor Lorenz who traveled to her apartment in New York’s East Village to record.

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports.

“So many people became famous for bad things and were able to kind of segue it into something different,” she said in a June 2023 interview with The Associated Press.

“Dancing With the Stars” is the first mainstream way Sorokin is attempting to accomplish that goal. She’ll be competing in the upcoming 33rd season, which premieres Sept. 17 on ABC and Disney+.

Sorokin will be joining Team USA’s breakout star from the Olympics: Stephen Nedoroscik — better known to the internet as “Pommel Horse Guy.” The 25-year-old who won two bronze medals in Paris was the first contestant announced, in August fresh off his Olympics’ high. He became an internet sensation thanks to memes of his preparation before competing and of his Superman-like transformation before hitting the floor.

Another U.S. Olympian will be competing: Ilona Maher, the rugby player and bronze medalist who became a social media darling for her funny TikToks and body positivity content.

The series hosted by Alfonso Riberio and Julianne Hough also announced that Ezra Sosa, a previous member of the show’s troupe of dancers, will be among those promoted to a “pro” this season; he is partnered with Sorokin. Artem Chigvintsev, who was arrested last week on a domestic violence charge, will not be return as a pro.

The full list of celebrities competing on the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars”:

    1. former Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola

    2. Anna Sorokin, who is being billed as “Anna Delvey,” per the show’s release

    3. Joey Graziadei from “The Bachelor”

    4. former NBA champion Dwight Howard

    5. Chandler Kinney, star of “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin”

    6. rugby player and Olympian Ilona Maher

    7. model Brooks Nader

    8. gymnast and Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik

    9. Phaedra Parks, attorney and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star

    10. Eric Roberts, prolific movie actor, brother of Julia and father of Emma

    11. Tori Spelling of “Beverly Hills 90210”

    12. Jenn Tran from “The Bachelorette”

    13. Reginald VelJohnson of “Family Matters” and “Die Hard”

‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin will compete on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ amid deportation battle (2024)

FAQs

‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin will compete on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ amid deportation battle? ›

'Fake Heiress' Anna Sorokin Will Compete on 'Dancing With the Stars' Amid Deportation Battle. The con artist convicted of swindling banks, hotels and friends in 2019 after falsely building a reputation as a wealthy German heiress, Anna Sorokin will now star in the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

Why does Anna Delvey wear an ankle monitor? ›

In October 2022, a judge ruled that Delvey could be confined to her home as she fights her deportation case. Delvey was also ordered to wear an ankle bracelet. Now, the monitor is Delvey's ballroom accessory.

Is Anna Sorokin a felon? ›

Sorokin was convicted in 2019 of grand larceny and other financial crimes after pretending to be a German heiress with a trust fund. She served two-years in prison and an additional 18 months detained by immigration authorities for overstaying her visa.

Where is Anna Delvey from? ›

Delvey is a con artist and fraudster who posed as a wealthy heiress to access upper-class New York social and art scenes from 2013 to 2017. Born to working-class parents in the Soviet Union, she emigrated from Russia to Germany with her family at the age of 16 in 2007.

Why would someone wear an ankle monitor? ›

An Alternative to a Jail Sentence

If you're deemed a low-risk offender, you may avoid jail by wearing an ankle monitor instead. An ankle monitor is typically used as an alternative to pre-trial detention or as a condition of probation.

Do people shower with ankle monitors? ›

Just make sure nothing gets between the bracelet and leg. Can I shower? What about swimming or hot tubs? While you are not allowed to submerge the bracelets in water (swimming pools, hot tubs, the bath tub), you can shower, and in fact you need to shower in order to keep the area around the bracelet clean.

Who is the felon on DWTs? ›

Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorkin, gained notoriety for posing as a wealthy German heiress and used her social standing to defraud wealthy people, banks and hotels. She was arrested in 2017 and convicted of grand larceny in the first, second and third degree as well as theft of services in 2019.

Who is the con artist on Dancing with the Stars? ›

Anna Delvey described by ABC as 'scam artist' in 'DWTS' casting announcement. But the "fake heiress," as some refer to her, has courted controversy far before her days in the ballroom.

How did Anna pay the hotel bill? ›

As a result, Sorokin deposited $160,000 worth of checks into a Citibank account, of which she was able to use $70,000, which she wired to 11 Howard to settle the bill. However, Sorokin still refused to provide a valid credit card, which led her to be evicted from the hotel.

What does Anna Sorokin do now? ›

"Fake heiress" Anna Sorokin (aka Anna Delvey) is competing on "Dancing With the Stars." Her casting, alongside "Bachelor" nations alums and Olympic athletes, was announced Wednesday. Sorokin, who was recently released from house arrest, will compete with her ankle bracelet on.

What is Anna Delvey doing now in 2024? ›

Now, Delvey is an artist, podcast host, and singer—even as she remains under house arrest. In an interview with WWD in June 2024, she said she was "trying to stay busy and productive." Delvey added, "On a daily basis, I don't do anything that is so exciting.

Are ankle monitors in real time? ›

Track Clients in Real-Time

With the click of a button, officers can engage a transmission rate of one location point every 15 seconds to aid in client apprehension.

Why do people put foil on ankle monitors? ›

When offenders wrap tinfoil around their ankle bracelet, it generates an alert that is similar to the regular intermittent loss of signal alerts, which Corrections receives "a lot of", the report says.

Why did Anna Delvey wear glasses? ›

Most people use eyeglasses to see the world more clearly. Anna Delvey used them to obscure her true identity.

Did Anna Delvey really dress up for court? ›

Anna Delvey 'models' custom Shao New York look, complete with bedazzled ankle monitor, for immigration hearing. The courtroom is her runway! Anna Delvey had another court date Thursday, and the con artiste-turned-fashion-publicist used the occasion to model a new look by Shao New York custom-created for the occasion.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 5522

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.