“False heiress” Anna Sorokin takes part in “Dancing With The Stars”

Sorokin, described in a press release as a “notorious ankle bracelet fashionista,” was announced on Good Morning America on Wednesday alongside the likes of former NBA star Dwight Howard, actress Tori Spelling and Jenn Tran, the leading lady of “The Bachelorette,” whose season concluded Tuesday night.

Tran, the first Asian-American Bachelorette, was a contestant on Joey Graziadei's season of The Bachelor – and he too will vie for the trophy.

Complicating Sorokin's latest starring role is the ankle bracelet – or electronic ankle tag – she has been wearing since October 2022, when her house arrest began. The show seems to be embracing this, however, with a promo image of Sorokin in a sparkly dress with an ankle bracelet on her leg.

Although she was released from prison in February 2021, immigration authorities claim she overstayed her visa and must be returned to her home country of Germany.

The inspiration for “Inventing Anna” was in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for more than a year before a judge cleared her for house arrest in October 2022 while she fights her deportation case.

ICE has not responded to requests for comment on the changes to Sorokin's house arrest conditions to allow filming in the Los Angeles area. Sorokin's spokeswoman Juda Engelmayer confirmed Tuesday that under the current house arrest conditions, she can travel within 70 miles (112 km) 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 on house arrest, she was barred from using social media following an immigration judge's order. Nevertheless, Sorokin launched a podcast called “The Anna Delvey Show,” featuring guests such as comedian Whitney Cummings and technology journalist Taylor Lorenz, who traveled to her apartment in New York City's East Village to record.

“So many people have become famous for doing bad things and have been able to turn them into something else,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press in June 2023.

Dancing With The Stars is Sorokin's first attempt to achieve that goal in the mainstream world. She will compete in the upcoming 33rd season, which premieres in the U.S. on ABC and Disney+ on September 17.

Sorokin will join U.S. Olympic team shooting star Stephen Nedoroscik, better known online as the “Pommel Horse Guy.”

The 25-year-old, who won two bronze medals in Paris, was the first competitor announced in August, fresh off his Olympic peak. He became an internet sensation thanks to memes about his pre-competition preparation and his Superman-like transformation before stepping onto the dance floor.

Another U.S. Olympian competing is Ilona Maher, the rugby player and bronze medalist who became a social media hit with her funny TikToks and body positivity content.

The series, hosted by Alfonso Riberio and Julianne Hough, also announced that Ezra Sosa, a former member of the show's dance troupe, will be among those promoted to “pro” this season; he is Sorokin's partner. Artem Chigvintsev, who was arrested last week on domestic violence charges, will not return as a pro.

The full list of celebrities competing in the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars is:
– Former Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola
– Anna Sorokin, credited as Anna Delvey
– Joey Graziadei from The Bachelor
– Former NBA champion Dwight Howard
– Chandler Kinney, star of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
– Rugby player and Olympian Ilona Maher
– Model Brooks Nader
– Gymnast and Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik
– Phaedra Parks, lawyer and star of “Real Housewives Of Atlanta”
– Eric Roberts, actor, brother of Julia and father of Emma
– Tori Spelling from Beverly Hills 90210
– Jenn Tran from The Bachelorette
– Reginald VelJohnson from “Family Matters” and “Die Hard”