Why ‘fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin, quietly released from house arrest, can compete in ‘Dancing With the Stars’ with an ankle monitor

Anna Sorokin.

Anna Sorokin will dance. ICE will be watching.

On Wednesday, ABC announced that Sorokin — who in 2019 was convicted of conning banks, hotels, and individuals out of money by posing as a European heiress named Anna Delvey — would join the cast of “Dancing With the Stars” season 33. Ankle monitor and all.

The 13 contestants this season, which also includes the latest “Bachelorette” lead Jenn Tran, Tran’s ex Joey Graziadei, “Real Housewives” star Phaedra Parks, and multiple Olympic athletes, were revealed on “Good Morning America.”

ABC’s press release, which refers to Sorokin as Anna Delvey, downplays her criminal conviction and describes her as “an artist, fashion icon and infamous NYC socialite who gained international attention after Netflix purchased the rights to her story and developed it into the 2022 miniseries ‘Inventing Anna.'”

“Some view her as a cunning scam artist, while others see her as a charismatic and ambitious entrepreneur who took advantage of New York City’s social elite in an effort to open a prestigious art studio,” it reads. “Her case has also sparked discussions about wealth, privilege and social climbing in modern society.”

Sorokin finished her prison sentence (which she previously called “a huge waste of time”) for her crimes in February 2021. But as a German national, she faces potential deportation from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Sorokin has been fighting a winding and complicated set of legal battles to remain in the United States and to appeal her criminal conviction. Shortly after she was released from prison, an immigration judge put her under house arrest in New York and banned her from using social media.

In early August, Sorokin quietly won a major legal victory. After a successful appeal and separate lawsuit in federal court brought by her immigration lawyer John Sandweg — who served as the acting head of ICE during Barack Obama’s presidential administration — an immigration judge pulled back many of Sorokin’s restrictions.

“There are some reasonable restrictions,” Sandweg told B-17 in an interview Wednesday. “She’s still on an ankle bracelet. She has to get authorization from ICE for certain things. But this is far less, obviously, than what her conditions were.”

Sorokin has returned to social media and still wears an ankle bracelet — which she flaunts as a fashion accessory in her “Dancing With the Stars” publicity photo — as she continues legal battles to remain in the US and vacate her criminal conviction.

Anna Delvey having to wear an ankle monitor in her #DWTS promo photo is absolute perfection. pic.twitter.com/SlRhFbxK6K

— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) September 4, 2024

Her newfound freedom has allowed her to pursue a slew of projects, including her stint on “Dancing With the Stars” and several New York Fashion Week events this month in collaboration with Pornhub and fashion world publicist Kelly Cutrone.

“She’s generally free to live her life now, subject to periodic court appearances and things of that nature,” Sandweg told B-17.

“Dancing With the Stars” season 33 airs September 17 on ABC and Disney+ and streams on Hulu the next day.