Fans Were Outraged Over “Fake Heiress” Con Artist Participating On “Dancing With The Stars”

Oct 25, 2024

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The 33rd season of hit show “Dancing With The Stars” premiered this September, with five million viewers tuning in to watch the first episode. They seemed to have outdone themselves this season, with an array of in-demand celebrities such as former “Bachelor” star Joey Graziadei, “Real Housewives” franchise’s Phaedra Parks, actress Tori Spelling and Olympic Rugby Medalist Ilona Maher. While fans were spoilt for the choice of who to root for this season, they were also left unhappy over one particular contestant joining this season of DWTS. In fact, their presence this season sparked a lot of outrage and controversy online. Read more to find out the identity of this contestant and the lore behind the public displeasure.

When this season’s DWTS participants were announced, fans were excited to have two alums from the “Bachelor” franchise, two Olympic medalists, actresses and athletes. However, no one was prepared to have Anna Sorokin, better known as Anna Delvey, a convicted con artist who was sporting a mandatory ankle monitor as part of her house arrest, on the DWTS dance floor. Partnered with professional dancer Ezra Sosa, Delvey, 33, opened the season doing the Cha Cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s summer hit, “Espresso.” Although their dance routine fascinated audiences, something else about Delvey’s ensemble seized attention - her ankle monitor, fully bedazzled to match her overall look. 

Cutely accessorized with a bow to match the ombre hues, the ankle monitor belied the seriousness of its purpose and the publicly known reason why Delvey needed it for her location to remain under police surveillance. Her partner, Sosa, even humorously referred to it in a practice video, saying: 

“That ankle monitor is kind of inhibiting you today.” 

Explaining the monitor herself, Delvey skimmed past her actions and simply stated:

“I overstayed my visa because I was in jail, so it’s kind of hard to leave. I did serve my time.”

But exactly how do DWTS viewers and the public feel about Delvey and her ankle monitor?

In preparation for her DWTS debut, ABC Studios profiled Delvey - whose Google label reads, “con artist” - as a “Notorious ankle bracelet fashionista” in their press release. Anna Delvey rose to fame with her audacious climb to the top of New York City’s elite social scene while pretending to be a wealthy German heiress with a $60 million dollar trust fund. Living the life of the most wealthy, Delvey conned her friends, hotel managers and corporate contacts and swindled them out of approximately $275,000. Delvey was found guilty of grand larceny, attempted grand larceny and service theft. She was then sentenced to 15 years in prison but later acquitted of some of those charges. She was subsequently arrested in 2017, served time in 2019 and has been under house arrest since 2022 while facing the threat of deportation. 

Somehow, Delvey has turned all this into a celebrity status. Nowadays, she works as a deception analyst for “The Anonymous.” She also sells her artwork and launched a podcast, “The Anna Delvey Show.” Delvey seeks further redemption from critics of her DWTS gig. 

“I did serve my time. I reinvented myself many times, and this time I’m going to be a ballroom dancer,” she said, earning herself compliments from the judges.

For those that didn’t know her, the ankle monitor certainly piqued their interest, with one viewer commenting:

“Wait...that ankle monitor is real?? WHO IS THIS WOMAN?”

Another was more amused by the camera zooming in on the bedazzled ankle monitor.

“The zoom in on the bedazzled Ankle Monitor LMAO,” they commented on Youtube.

Still, to some fans, she remained the con artist who was privileged enough to be a celebrity and on DWTS, with one fan calling it disgusting, while another saw it as the show craving drama to increase viewership and internet engagement.

“They always need 1 controversial celebrity on every season,” they said.

For better or worse, Delvey’s participation in this season of DWTS has certainly got people talking.

What’s your take on Anna Delvey being on DWTS? Do you think it’s condoning her past actions or does she deserve redemption? Let us know what you think and share with your loved ones to get their opinion, too😊