Convicted fraudster Anna Delvey has defended herself after Dancing With the Stars fans criticized her inclusion in the ABC show.
Delvey became a household name when her crime spree of scamming socialites was made the subject of Netflix drama Inventing Anna. She was convicted of grand larceny on multiple counts in 2019, and it was announced early September that she would be a competitor on the 33rd season of the ballroom dancing reality TV show.
Her casting sparked controversy, especially when promotional photos of Russian-born Delvey showed her wearing an ankle monitor following her release from prison in 2021. Delvey was released from ICE detention to home confinement, and must wear the monitor as she fights deportation from the U.S.
Delvey premiered on the first episode of the season on Tuesday, completing a cha-cha routine to Sabrina Carpenter's song "Espresso" alongside professional dancer Ezra Sosa. She also debuted a bedazzled upgrade to her ankle monitor during DWTS which matched her sparkly outfit.
But the response to her debut routine was mixed, and Delvey reacted to negative comments made about her on an official post on the DWTS Instagram account.
"Anna and Ezra had it moving up, down, left, right during their sweet Cha Cha to @sabrinacarpenter! 💖 Perfect way to close Premiere night. #DWTS," the post read.
To one person, @geenahammer, who commented on the post: "Justice for Ezra," Delvey official account replied: "Declined."
When another person, @maliah.rich, alleged the DWTS producers "usually choose at least 1 controversial person every season for the last few years," Delvey clapped back: "Like who?"
Delvey also told @jilliejackson that producers "forgot to ask you," when they claimed they know the show so well they could become a judge and that "anyone wearing an ankle monitor should not be allowed to compete."
She retorted: "You're home," to @sophie.rose22 who commented on the post: "Yeahhh let's send her home."
Newsweek contacted ABC by email outside of work hours for comment.
Delvey and Sosa addressed her ankle monitor during an interview with Associated Press.
"It's actually not a big issue at all. It's pretty light and I asked them to make it tight so it doesn't dangle. So it's not so bad," she said after her DWTS premiere.
"It's the real star of the show, let's be honest here," Sosa added.
"I think it's kind of funny how people like—it's not like an ankle weight," Sosa said. "It's not like 20 pounds. It's like literally less than a pound and it's not a big deal."
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