Why is Anna Delvey on Dancing With The Stars? Explained

Alleged heiress Anna Delvey made headlines a few years ago for her wide-scale scheme to con banks and friends out of millions of dollars. Now, she’s caught attention again for a surprising reason — her controversial appearance on Dancing with the Stars.

Who is Anna Delvey?

If you’re wondering who the woman with the bedazzled ankle monitor on Dancing with the Stars even is, let’s cover the basics. Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin) claimed to be a German heiress with a massive fortune. She tricked friends and banks into lending her money while also taking advantage of services from several businesses that were never paid for.

Eventually, her antics caught up to her, and after a lengthy court battle, Anna was charged with grand larceny and theft of services. She served time in prison and has since been released on house arrest while undergoing additional charges related to her visa status. Hence, the ankle monitor she wears during her stint on Dancing with the Stars.

Sorokin’s story became popular after the Netflix series Inventing Anna and the three-part docuseries called The Dark Side: Anna Delvey.

Why was Anna Delvey Allowed to be on Dancing with The Stars?

So, if Anna is a “star” only for standing trial for fraud and theft of services, why is she on Dancing with the Stars? It’s been a controversial appearance, to say the least, with many people expressing outrage at her chance at the spotlight.

The main issue, aside from public opinion about Delvey herself, is the current immigration case against her. Many, including the hosts of The View, see ICE’s decision to let her compete as a double standard when so many other immigration cases in the United States have been handled much more harshly.

As far as Delvey goes, it’s likely her decision to appear on the show is part of an attempt to reinvent herself, to claim an identity in the public eye that goes beyond her crimes. According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she says she “kind of got talked into doing this,” but given her history, we should take that explanation with a grain of salt.

As for why the show asked her on in the first place? That’s less clear, though it’s possible they knew the choice would draw attention — and viewers — to this latest season in a way less controversial stars wouldn’t.

Anna had to seek special permission from U.S. immigration to be allowed to compete on the show, and for whatever reason, they said yes. Her ankle monitor, however, had to stay in place even while performing. It is unclear why the permission was granted in this case.

Regardless of why she was allowed to appear, she didn’t last long. Delvey was eliminated from Dancing with the Stars on September 24, after which she began making negative statements about her experience on the show.