Anna Delvey Had to 'Request ICE for Permission' to Compete onDancing with the Stars(Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Anna Delvey.Photo:ABC/Jose Alvarado, Jr.

ABC/Jose Alvarado, Jr.

Anna Delveyis sharing how her participation onDancing with the Starscame to be.

After the season 33 cast of the competitive dancing show was announced onGood Morning America, the convicted con artist, 33, exclusively told PEOPLE of how she was given clearance to compete for the mirrorball trophy amidher house arrest.

Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorkin, gained notoriety for posing as a wealthy German heiress and used her social standing to defraud wealthy people, banks and hotels. She was arrested in 2017 and convicted of grand larceny in the first, second third degree as well as theft of services in 2019.

Anna Delvey on ‘Dancing with the Stars’.Disney/Andrew Eccles

Disney/Andrew Eccles

“Well, [DWTS] approached my team and I had to request ICE for permission to travel out of state because its being filmed in Los Angeles and I’m based in New York,” she told PEOPLE of how her stint came to be. “It took them about 10 days to get it through the system and to get everything approved.”

“By the time I got the approval, it was very close to the starting day so I kind of flew to LA pretty much the next day and I just decided why not?” Delvey recalled.

(L) Ezra Soza and Anna Delvey.ABC/Jose Alvarado, Jr.

When asked about facing potential backlash for her controversial casting, Devley said, “It’s just not that serious. If someone is that upset about casting on a dancing show, I don’t know what to tell them.”

Alongside her partnerEzra Sosa, Delvey will compete onDancing with the Starsunder the condition she continues to wear her ankle monitor. She toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat her device wouldn’t hinder her ability to perform.

“In what way would it affect my performance? It’s actually pretty light,” she said.

On Sept. 4,Good Morning Americaannounced other castmembers who will join Delvey this season. The celebrity competitors include: Phaedra Parks, Eric Roberts, Tori Spelling, Dwight Howard, Brooks Nader, Joey Graziadei, Jenn Tran, Chandler Kinney, Stephen Nedoroscik, Reginald VelJohnson and more.

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source: people.com