Convicted con artist Anna Sorokin made her debut on “Dancing With the Stars” sporting an unusual accessory: a sparkling, lightweight ankle monitor.
Known as the “fake heiress” for posing as a wealthy German socialite named Anna Delvey, Sorokin was convicted in 2019 for defrauding banks, hotels, and friends. After serving time in prison, the German national was put under house arrest over immigration issues.
The inspiration for the TV series “Inventing Anna” has since been trying to reimagine her public image by launching her own podcast and now participating in the popular dance show.
During Tuesday night’s season premiere, Sorokin flaunted her ballroom-ready ankle monitor.
“It’s actually not a big issue at all,” she told The Associated Press after the premiere. “It’s pretty light and I asked them to make it tight so it doesn’t dangle. So it’s not so bad.”
Sorokin’s dance partner Ezra Sosa quipped about the attention to the ankle monitor, joking that it was “the real star of the show here.”
“I think it’s kind of funny how people like—it’s not like an ankle weight,” he said after the season premiere. “It’s not like 20 pounds. It’s like literally less than a pound and it’s not a big deal.”
The duo hit the dance floor to the tune of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” However, Sosa’s suave and skillful performance was overshadowed by Sorokin’s tense and uncomfortable facial expression.
Still, despite her less-than-perfect performance, she expressed relief at having completed her first dance.
“I feel like my dance could have been a little bit better, but I’m happy I’ve done this, and it was a great experience overall,” she said.
Sorokin said she hopes viewers will be somewhat forgiving despite her criminal history.
“Hopefully, people will give me a chance to show what I can do,” she said. “I served my time, and I repaid my restitution.”
Fans of the show seemed to disagree, with the phrase “Anna Delvey’s Lackluster DWTS Debut” among those trending on X, while others thought Sosa deserved a better dance partner.
Sorokin, who was born in Russia but grew up in Germany, moved to New Yorn in 2014, where she passed herself off as a wealthy heiress to maneuver her way into the New York jet-set. Upon her arrest in 2017, she was accused of scamming hotels, acquaintances, and financial institutions for a total of $275,000.
Sorokin was convicted in 2019 on multiple counts of larceny and theft, and given 4 to 12 years in prison.
In February 2021, Sorokin was released on good behavior but immediately put back in custody by immigration authorities, who claimed she overstayed her visa and sought to deport her to Germany. She spent over a year in ICE custody before being placed under home arrest in October 2022, to await the outcome of her deportation appeal.
Sorokin’s home arrest conditions were adjusted to allow her to travel from New York to Los Angeles for the recording of “Dancing With the Stars”.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.