Dancing with the Stars has captivated audiences for nearly two decades with its shimmer and spectacle. But this season’s debut will bring an unexpected twist, as the infamous Anna Delvey—legally Anna Sorokin—takes the stage, her gleaming outfit complemented by a jewel-encrusted ankle monitor. The appearance of the convicted con artist has set the entertainment world abuzz.
Under the Disney umbrella, ABC hailed Sorokin in a press release as an “artist, fashion muse, and notorious NYC socialite.” They even cheekily dubbed her the “trendsetting ankle bracelet aficionado.” Joining her in the season’s cast is an eclectic mix of celebrities, including a former NBA player, reality stars, and two Olympians. The upcoming season promises to be just as dramatic. However, critics argue that the network has hit a “new low” by glamorizing Delvey’s sordid history, with The New York Post lambasting the casting choice.
There’s also a broader question circulating: how is she even allowed to reside and work in the U.S., given her German-Russian citizenship? The electronic monitor she wears isn’t due to her 2019 conviction, where she scammed numerous high-end businesses and banks, swindling over $200,000. Rather, it stems from an ongoing immigration battle where she’s fighting deportation.
The saga has sparked fierce online debate. Some view Delvey’s boldness as a distorted emblem of the American Dream, admiring her relentless ambition. Others decry her lack of remorse and incessant self-promotion. In a heated exchange on The View, Whoopi Goldberg cited Delvey’s appearance on Dancing with the Stars as evidence of a “double-tiered immigration system” that favors the wealthy and well-connected. Others have pointed out that the U.S. is a nation where convicted felons can run for president, so little surprises them anymore.
Delvey first made headlines in 2018 when New York Magazine detailed her long con. Her life, full of audacious deceit, inspired the Netflix series Inventing Anna and the BBC podcast Fake Heiress. She posed as a wealthy European heiress, mingling with New York’s elite, all the while scheming to secure a $22 million loan for a self-named arts foundation. While living this facade, she falsified bank documents, stiffed luxury hotels, wrote bad checks, and left others to pick up the tab after lavish dinners. Small businesses and individuals were also victims of her fraud.
Journalist Jessica Pressler, who first exposed Delvey’s schemes, notes that public memory is short. Many may not even recall the specifics of her crimes. “People rarely look beyond the surface,” she observed, acknowledging this trait helped fuel Delvey’s original ruse. For Pressler, Dancing with the Stars feels like the next logical chapter in the bizarre saga.
The Rise and Tumultuous Fall of Anna Delvey
Delvey was arrested in 2017 while on the run in California. By 2019, she was convicted on eight charges of theft and sentenced to a term between four and twelve years. After nearly four years, including time spent at the infamous Rikers Island, she was released in February 2021, only to face deportation.
Six weeks after her release, Delvey was re-arrested for overstaying her visa. Since then, she’s been entangled in a protracted legal battle, alternating between jail and house arrest. In 2022, she narrowly avoided deportation to Germany after a last-minute intervention by her lawyer. Though her asylum claims remain somewhat vague, they likely stem from her Russian nationality.
During her time under house arrest, Delvey hasn’t shied from the spotlight. She launched her podcast and gave numerous interviews. Vogue filmed a tour of her East Village apartment, and Vogue UK published a feature titled “What Is Anna Delvey Reading?” Despite her brazen past, her audacity continues to intrigue. “Most of us would die of embarrassment doing anything she does,” said Pressler, referring to Delvey’s propensity to live far beyond her means without facing consequences.
John Sandweg, who once served as acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the Obama administration, is now her immigration lawyer. According to Sandweg, lengthy deportation cases aren’t uncommon in the U.S., but Delvey’s case has been unusually prolonged. He also argued that her strict house arrest conditions were unnecessarily harsh. After a legal challenge, her terms were relaxed, allowing her to travel to Los Angeles for Dancing with the Stars. The Department of Justice also amended her bond conditions, permitting her to return to social media and granting her a social security number.
Delvey’s tumultuous financial situation hasn’t abated. She was taken to court by her former landlord, who claimed she owed over $12,000 in unpaid rent. The case has since been settled, but Delvey continues to fund her legal and personal expenses through media deals and the sale of her artwork from prison. Netflix paid her a reported $320,000 for the rights to her story, some of which was used to repay her victims.
Netflix Faces Legal Backlash
In a twist, Netflix now faces its legal battle over the portrayal of Rachel Williams, a former friend of Delvey, in Inventing Anna. Williams, who penned the memoir My Friend Anna, alleges that Netflix unfairly depicted her as “vile and contemptible.” While Sorokin isn’t directly involved in the lawsuit, she has been subpoenaed as a witness. Williams’ lawyer, Alexander Rufus-Isaacs, believes that Sorokin’s involvement in Dancing with the Stars further trivializes the harm she inflicted on others.
Though Delvey was acquitted of charges related to the ill-fated Morocco trip with Williams, the emotional toll on Williams was severe. She spent months in distress, dealing with the fallout from Delvey’s deceptions.
While some see Delvey as an anti-hero for exposing the flaws of New York’s elite, Williams remains unconvinced. “She wasn’t trying to dismantle the system,” Williams said in an interview. “She wanted to be a part of it.”
In the face of the controversy, Dancing with the Stars executive producer Conrad Green defended Delvey’s participation, pointing out that other contestants with criminal pasts have graced the stage. “She’s served her time. I think it’s fair for her to be on the show,” Green told Variety.