“Inventing Anna” imposter Anna Sorokin doesn’t have a particularly inspiring debut on “Dancing with the Stars”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Convicted con artist Anna Sorokin has taken over the dance floor on “Dancing With the Stars” wearing a lightweight — and very glittery — ankle bracelet.

The so-called “fake heiress,” who was convicted in 2019 of defrauding banks, hotels and friends after falsely building the reputation of a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey, showed off the ballroom-ready ankle bracelet on Tuesday night at the premiere of the new season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

“It's actually not a big problem at all. It's pretty light and I asked them to make it tight so it doesn't dangle. So it's not that bad,” she told the Associated Press after the premiere. She and dance pro Ezra Sosa performed a routine to Sabrina Carpenter's “Espresso.”

“Let's face it: It's the real star of the show,” Sosa said of Sorokin's rhinestone-studded ankle bracelet.

“I find it kind of funny how people like it – it's not an ankle weight,” Sosa said. “It's not 20 pounds. It's literally less than a pound and it's no big deal.”

Sorokin admitted that her debut did not go as planned.

“I'm relieved it's over,” she said. “I think my dancing could have been a little better, but I'm glad I did it and it was a great experience overall.”

Sorokin said she hoped viewers would show some leniency despite her criminal past.

“Hopefully people will give me a chance to show what I can do. I've served my time and made my amends,” she said.

Initial reviews from fans were not positive, with the phrase “Anna Delvey’s lackluster DWTS debut” trending on social media site X, among others.

Although she was released from prison in February 2021, she was detained by immigration authorities shortly after her release, claiming she had overstayed her visa and needed to be returned to her home country of Germany. The “Inventing Anna” inspiration was in ICE custody for over a year before a judge allowed her to transition to house arrest in October 2022 while she fights her deportation.

Her release conditions had to be changed to allow her to travel from New York to Los Angeles for filming.