Fake Heiress Anna Delvey Secures Permission to Join 'Dancing With the Stars'

Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars is just around the corner, and the convicted fraudster Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin) will be hitting the ballroom.

If you recall, Delvey served prison time for posing as a wealthy heiress and scamming her way into New York's elite social and art circles from 2013 to 2017.

As of early October 2022, Anna Delvey is under 24-hour home confinement with electronic monitoring and has no access to social media. Delvey is serving her house arrest in a 470-square-foot New York City apartment.

Given these restrictions, how will she participate in Dancing With the Stars?

Ahead of the reality show's season premiere, Anna Delvey revealed she was convinced to join and received permission from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be a part of Dancing With the Stars.

"I kind of got talked into doing this," Delvey told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, Sept. 4. "I got the permission from ICE and then it was kind of too late to back out."

While competing on the show, Delvey will wear an ankle monitor — ABC even referred to her as a "notorious ankle bracelet fashionista" in a press release.

Delvey's spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, spoke with The Associated Press on Sept. 4 and disclosed that Delvey can "travel within 70 miles of her home base and anywhere in the five boroughs of New York City under previous house arrest conditions."

Delvey's DWTS participation has sparked mixed reactions, some support her, while others criticize ABC for including a felon in the cast. On the Sept. 5 episode of The View, the hosts even voiced their disapproval.

Whoopi Goldberg pointed out, "I think back to all the families who've had family members arrested by ICE, who have gone to the courts to get their dad, or their brother, or their mother back, and this woman, they gave her permission to go do this. Now, should I think there's a reason? Is there a two-tiered system here with ICE?"

"When are there consequences to people's actions?" Sunny Hostin added.

In response to their comments, Delvey took to X (formerly Twitter) to say the hosts should get their "facts straight," reiterating that she served her time and paid everyone back over three years ago. She added, "Looking forward to your on-air correction."

Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC and Disney Plus.