‘Dance Moms’ Star Abby Lee Miller Enters Fraud Sentencing Hearing With A Smile
Former Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller may be facing up to 30 months in jail, but that hasn’t stopped the dance teacher from entering the Pittsburgh courthouse with a broad grin. The reality TV star has pleaded guilty to fraud and hiding up to $800,000 in assets from the federal government.
The star filed for bankruptcy, but the judge who heard her case thought something was amiss when he noticed she was starring on the hit television series Dance Moms. After further investigation, it was found that Abby Lee Miller had actually hidden a lot of her assets and therefore had intentionally committed fraud.
Leaked documents revealed that the state was looking to give her a punishment to the full extent of the law, but her lawyers are pulling for probation, as they claim that the creditors she defrauded did not lose any money during her swindle. However, the state is evidently arguing that Abby Lee Miller had intended to harm creditors to the tune of $356,466.52.
#DanceMoms ex-host @Abby_Lee_Miller entering fed. courthouse in #Pittsburgh just now for final sentencing day in fraud case pic.twitter.com/wdmpLycWxt
— Dominic Patten (@DeadlineDominic) May 8, 2017
According to Deadline reporter Dominic Patten, the sentencing thus far is anything but straight forward.
“UPDATE #DanceMoms @Abby_Lee_Miller fraud sentencing – grilling of lead fed agent, bankruptcy lawyer = gonna be a long day,” he tweeted.
UPDATE #DanceMoms @Abby_Lee_Miller fraud sentencing – grilling of lead fed agent, bankruptcy lawyer = gonna be a long dayt
— Dominic Patten (@DeadlineDominic) May 8, 2017
While Abby Lee Miller may be headed for a long day in court, the star has expressed fears of being assaulted or raped in prison if the court rules against her.
The reality TV star also recently underwent gastric sleeve surgery to reduce her stomach by 80 percent. She has struggled with her weight all of her life and has lost quite a lot since appearing on Dance Moms. However, she has been unable to lose more and claims that the show kept her fat.
She claims she tried to be vegan, but producers allegedly refused to accommodate her.
“If I was trying to be vegan, [they would] hand me a hoagie sandwich or Italian sub from somewhere. I’m like, ‘What is this, lunch meat? I can’t eat this!'” she said.
Abby Lee Miller also stated that she wanted to get thin in order to have “revenge body” and “get back” at the Dance Moms mothers and the producers of the show.
“I hate what I look like on TV and I want to look better and nothing makes the mothers more jealous. There’s your motivation. Payback’s a b***h,” she said.
Many questioned her decision to have the gastric sleeve surgery right before her prison sentencing, but Abby Lee Miller defended her decision, saying it was the right time to do so.
“I think this is the right time. People are saying, ‘But your sentencing is coming up in a couple weeks!’ And that is true, and I’m really nervous about that — more than the surgery — but there’s no right time.
“Maybe this is some miraculous way somebody’s telling me, ‘Hey go for it, do it now so that whatever happens, maybe you’ll be a little bit healthier, maybe you’ll be a little bit more in shape.’ Who knows?”
Abby Lee Miller has no plans to return to Dance Moms even though producer Bryan Stinson revealed it would return for an eighth season.
Instead, if she is granted probation, the reality TV star is looking to pitch a scripted series about dance with a supernatural element. She teased that some of the child stars of Dance Moms would appear on the show, but many speculate that she means the minis and not the Junior Elite dance team, many of whom she has fallen out with.
There is also speculation that the show Dance Moms will be completely revamped with an all new team and teachers.
[Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]
