Anna Delvey Blasts ‘DWTS’ Experience, Claims Her Redemption Was ‘Wasted’

Anna Delvey, originally from Russia, shot to infamy for posing as a wealthy New York City socialite, conning her way into elite circles. In 2019, her elaborate fraud finally caught up with her, resulting in a conviction for theft and grand larceny.

She was sentenced to four to twelve years in prison for a range of crimes, including grand larceny and theft of services.

Despite having to wear an ankle monitor, Anna Delvey was cast on "Dancing With the Stars," where she had hoped to get a redemption shot and show the world a different side of her.

According to inmate records from the Albion Correctional Facility in New York, Anna Delvey was released on parole in February 2021 after serving nearly four years. But her freedom was short-lived.

Just weeks after her release, Delvey found herself back in custody, this time under the watch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), after allegedly overstaying her U.S. visa. She remained in ICE detention until October 2022, when she was finally released under house arrest.

“After 17 months of immigration detention, an immigration judge recognized that continued incarceration was no longer necessary for Anna,” her attorney, John Sandweg, said in a statement to NBC News.

She is now ordered to wear an ankle monitor, which she bedazzled for her first dance on "Dancing With the Stars."

On Tuesday night, the 33-year-old convicted con artist Anna Delvey was eliminated from the September 24 episode of "Dancing with the Stars." When host Julianne Hough asked her what she had gained from her time on the show, Delvey didn’t hold back, bluntly stating, “Nothing.”

Her partner, professional dancer Ezra Sosa, appeared visibly surprised by her bluntness, raising his eyebrows at the unexpected response. Hough, however, laughed it off and smoothly wrapped up the show.

Following her elimination, Delvey spoke to "Good Morning America" where she reflected on her short-lived time on the show.

When asked if she felt she got the second chance she was looking for, Delvey immediately responded, "That's been wasted? Yeah, of course."

But fans didn't seem to care as they immediately pointed out her "poor attitude" during the show's first two episodes.

"Thank god she is gone total waste of time," one user said after finding out she was eliminated.

"Wowwww," another wrote.

In her 20s, Anna Delvey moved to New York City, where she posed as a wealthy German heiress and mingled with the city’s elite, from prominent socialites and investors to key figures in the art world.

Delvey's New York life was a whirlwind of scams. According to a 2018 profile in "The Cut," she leveraged her fake status as an heiress to book stays in luxury hotels, promising payment that never came. When management realized the bills weren’t being paid, she’d be kicked out, only to move on to the next high-end spot — and the cycle continued.

At the same time, she was actively trying to fundraise for her ambitious project: the Anna Delvey Foundation, a high-end arts foundation and private members club she envisioned creating.

However, the plans came crashing down when she was accused of forging financial records to apply for a loan ranging between $25 million and $35 million to get the foundation off the ground. Though that loan was denied, Delvey didn’t walk away empty-handed. She secured a $100,000 advance from another bank, also using forged documents, according to court records.

In October 2017, Anna Delvey's fraudulent schemes came to a halt when she was arrested in New York and charged with multiple crimes, including grand larceny in the first and second degrees, as well as theft of services. By 2019, her web of deceit finally unraveled, leading to a conviction for theft and grand larceny.

Delvey was sentenced to four to twelve years in prison for her various crimes. However, according to inmate records from the Albion Correctional Facility in New York, she was released on parole in February 2021 after serving about four years.

"Dancing With the Stars" is broadcast on ABC and Disney+ every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.