People are flabbergasted after ex-convict Anna Delvey joins TV series in ‘wild’ casting-Robert Oliver-Entertainment – Metro

Anna Delvey will compete in the upcoming 33rd season of Dancing With the Stars (Picture: Getty)

It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for fans of Dancing With the Stars after an ex-convict was added to the line-up of famous faces for the upcoming season.

Anna Delvey, 33, was jailed in 2019 after deceiving people out of huge amounts of money – apparently totaling $250,000 (£190k) – while pretending to be a German heiress.

Her crimes were dramatised in the Netflix series Inventing Anna, which starred the likes of Ozark’s Julia Garner and Orange is the New Black actress Laverne Cox.

And now new reports have indicated that, after being under house arrest since 2022, Delvey – who was dubbed the ‘Fake Heiress’ – is gearing up to appear on one of the biggest shows on American TV.

Dancing With the Stars is coming back in two weeks, with US gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik the only name announced alongside Delvey.

With the terms of her house arrest said to now be relaxed, it’s rumoured that she’s able to access social media and fly from her home in New York to Los Angeles, where the show is filmed.

Delvey served two years behind bars for her crimes (Picture: Getty)

Page Six claims that she’s joined the cast of the new season of Dancing With the Stars, where Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruno Tonioli sits as a judge.

Naturally, the news of her prior conviction has shocked fans of the series, with dozens of them flocking to social media – either to condemn or even support the decision.

On X, TheIconicAshley asked: ‘Why are we giving a platform for people like her?’, but @ILoveGraciee hit back with ‘She did what she had to do, served her time, and I bet those rich people barely noticed.’

Delvey seems to have had her house arrest conditions relaxed (Picture: Dominik Bindl/Getty)

Heaven_Toniight supported the decision: ‘I love Dancing With the Stars’ commitment of giving us one felon a season – I think its fun.’

There was no dissent from TayluhSwiff13 either, who said: ‘She’s literally the most iconic woman in business ever – she scammed the entire industry, started her own fashion line, and now [going on] reality TV while still being under arrest.’

Freyan suggested that Gypsy Rose Blanchard, whose life story was told in the TV series The Act, should be involved instead: ‘Having Anna Delvey on instead of Gypsy Rose is wild.’

Born in the Soviet Union just months before its collapse in 1991, Delvey was born Anna Sorokin and moved from Russia to Germany when she was 16.

Dancing With the Stars returns in two weeks (Picture: ABC via Getty Images)

She moved around Europe before relocating to New York in 2013, where she began working for culture publications and magazines and establishing connections in the city’s art and fashion worlds.

Then, using fake documents and fraudulent checks, she managed to trick her connections – which included banks, friends, and realtors – into giving her loans and cash money.

After being caught by police, she was convicted of grand larceny and sentenced to between four and 12 years behind bars – she was released after two years but has remained under strict house arrest ever since.

Her predicted appearance on Dancing With the Stars wouldn’t make her the first person to go on the show after spending time in prison, however.

Rapper Lil Kim competed in 2009 after spending a year in prison in 2005, while comedian Tommy Chong went on the show in 2014 a decade after a year-long stint in a California facility.

Dancing With the Stars returns on September 17.

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