Feds: 'Dance Moms' star hid show income during bankruptcy
PITTSBURGH (AP) — "Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller has been charged with hiding $775,000 worth of income from the Lifetime network reality show and spinoff projects during her Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The investigation began when a channel-surfing bankruptcy judge saw Miller on TV in December 2012 and figured she had to be making more than the $8,899 in monthly income she was claiming, according to the 20-count bankruptcy fraud indictment announced today by federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh.
In reality, Miller had signed deals to earn up to $15,000 per episode of "Dance Moms" and up to $25,000 for each episode of her spinoff series, "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" – not to mention income from dance sessions, public events, merchandise and apparel, the indictment said.
Miller, 50, formerly of Penn Hills, wasn't arrested. She'll be mailed a court summons to appear Nov. 5 before a federal magistrate in Pittsburgh.
"Criminal prosecution is appropriate when debtors corrupt the bankruptcy process through deceit and lies before the court," U.S. Attorney David Hickton said.