LOS ANGELES — Anna Sorokin, the con artist convicted in 2019 of defrauding banks, hotels and friends after falsely building a reputation as a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey, has found her latest venture: “Dancing With the Stars.”
Described as the “notorious anklet fashionista” in a press release, it was announced Wednesday on “Good Morning America” that Sorokin will compete with the likes of former NBA star Dwight Howard, actor Tori Spelling and Jenn Tran, the lead of “The Bachelorette.” . whose season ended in heartbreak Tuesday night. Tran, the first Asian-American “Bachelorette,” competed on Joey Graziadei’s season of “The Bachelor” — and he, too, will compete for the trophy.
Complicating Sorokin’s latest starring role is the ankle monitor she’s been wearing since October 2022, when she was grounded. Although she was released from prison in February 2021, immigration authorities picked her up shortly after her release, arguing that she had overstayed her visa and should be sent back to her native Germany. The “Inventing Anna” inspiration spent more than a year in ICE custody before a judge cleared the way for her to move to home confinement in October 2022 while she fights the deportation case.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not return requests for comment regarding changes to Sorokin’s home detention conditions to allow shootings in the Los Angeles area. Sorokin’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, confirmed Tuesday that under previous house arrest conditions she could travel within 70 miles of her home base and anywhere in the five boroughs of New York City, but could not comment on any changes to those rules .
While under house arrest, she had to adhere to an immigration judge’s condition that she not use social media, but Sorokin kept busy. She started a podcast – “The Anna Delvey Show” – with guests like comedian Whitney Cummings and technology journalist Taylor Lorenz traveling to her apartment in New York’s East Village to record.
“So many people became famous for bad things and were able to turn it into something else,” she said in a June 2023 interview with The Associated Press.
“Dancing With the Stars” is the first mainstream way Sorokin has tried to achieve that goal. She will join the upcoming 33rd season, which premieres September 17 on ABC and Disney+.
Sorokin will join Team USA’s breakout star of the Olympics: Stephen Nedoroscik – better known on the internet as ‘Pommel Horse Guy’. The 25-year-old who won two bronze medals in Paris was the first competitor to be announced, in August, just after his Olympic peak. He became an internet sensation thanks to memes of his preparation before competing and his Superman-like transformation before hitting the floor.
Another American Olympian will be competing: Ilona Maher, the rugby player and bronze medalist who became a social media darling for her funny TikToks and body positivity content.
The series also announced Tuesday that Ezra Sosa, a former member of the show’s troupe of dancers, will be promoted to a “pro” this season; he works with Sorokin. Artem Chigvintsev, who was arrested last week on domestic violence charges, will not return as a professional.
