Anna Delvey to compete on reality series with ankle monitor

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 on Wednesday (overnight in Australia) 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 this week. Tran, the first Asian American Bachelorette, was a contestant on Joey Graziadei’s season of America’s 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.
READ MORE: Single sentence prompts aggressive eye-roll from James Bond star
READ MORE: From the back, star’s outfit looks out there but you have to see the front to believe it
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 (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody for more than 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.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Sorokin’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, confirmed on Tuesday (Wednesday in Australia) that she could travel within 112km 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.
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 travelled to her apartment in New York’s East Village to record.
READ MORE: Queen legend suffers minor stroke
READ MORE: Elle Macpherson reveals secret cancer battle
“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.
America’s 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.
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.
READ MORE: 1,000-Lb. Sisters star arrested while at zoo with family
READ MORE: One simple fridge change could save $338 a year
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 medallist 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.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.