'Dance Moms' Host Abby Lee Miller Could Get 2.5 Years Behind Bars
After a year of being indicted on 20 counts of fraud and more than six months after she was charged of violating currency reporting laws, "Dance Mom" host Abby Lee Miller faces the first part of her sentencing.
In a report by Deadline, Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Melucci told Chief Judge Joy Flowers Conti that Miller should be sentenced with 2.5 years in prison. The federal prosecutor dismissed Abby's attempt to blame "Dance Moms" at fault for her sudden fame, in which she pleaded guilty. Melucci said that Miller "intended to cause harm" to her creditors by intentionally misrepresenting her income on bankruptcy filings in 2012.
Miller, who pleaded guilty for the charge, is forfeiting the $120,000 she failed to report when she brought it stateside from Australia illegally. Miller still doesn't know if she's going to prison after also pleading guilty to a bankruptcy fraud that was charged to her in June 2016.
In October 2015, Abby was charged with attempting to hide $775,000 of income from Lifetime series "Dance Moms" spinoff "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition", as well as multiple other projects during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. She apparently hid the money in secret bank accounts between 2012 and 2013, reports People.
The "Dance Mom" host was also accused of separating the money into plastic bags and having her friends carry them in their luggage in August 2014. This is a violation of the law since it mandates people to report if they are bringing more than $10,000 of a foreign currency into the country.
Miller's attorney Robert Ridge told People "Throughout this case, Ms. Miller has taken both the allegations and the proceedings very seriously. This has been a challenging time for Ms. Miller. She appreciates the words of encouragement and support from around the world."
The recommended prison time for Miller was 0-6 months even though the judge in charge of the case could give her a maximum of 5 years. The continuation of her sentencing will be on Feb. 24.