Anna Delvey, the infamous convicted con artist, has been cast on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars for Season 33, sparking significant backlash. The news was revealed on Good Morning America and quickly became the talk of the internet. Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, was seen in the official promo picture sporting her ankle monitor. She later told People magazine that she had received permission from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to participate in the show.
Delvey first made headlines in 2018 when she was exposed by former friend and writer Rachel Williams in a viral Vanity Fair article, shedding light on her elaborate scam. The story chronicled how Delvey pretended to be a wealthy German heiress, stealing nearly $275,000 from hotels, banks, and wealthy New Yorkers. She was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to 4-12 years in prison but served just over three years before being detained by ICE for overstaying her visa. She remains under home confinement as her legal case continues.
The announcement of Delvey’s DWTS casting has received a mix of reactions. Many fans and even The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg expressed disappointment over the choice, calling into question the message it sends by giving a convicted criminal a platform on a family-friendly show. Despite the controversy, Delvey’s story continues to captivate audiences, as her life was turned into the hit Netflix series Inventing Anna, starring Julia Garner.
In her DWTS debut, Delvey will be paired with pro dancer Ezra Sosa, marking her first major public appearance since the Inventing Anna phenomenon. However, her casting has led to heated discussions about whether someone convicted of such serious crimes should be given the opportunity to compete in a highly publicized competition like Dancing with the Stars.
