The reality TV star, who was first indicted in 2015, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after being charged with bankruptcy fraud and concealment of bankruptcy assets.
- May 10, 2017
AceShowbiz - Abby Lee Miller was sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by two years of supervised release on Tuesday, May 9. It was reported that she was fined $40,000 and ordered to pay a $120.000 judgment.
When asked about how she felt about her sentence, Abby revealed that she wasn't saddened by it. "I feel relieved. I feel peaceful," she told Entertainment Tonight. The 50-year-old reality TV star stated that she was aware of challenges she may face in prison, but assured that she would be fine. "There's a few physical limitations, dietary limitations [in prison], of course, but it'll be okay," she said. Abby concluded the interview by telling her fans and supporters to "live and learn."
Her "Dance Moms" co-stars took to Instagram to show support for her. Elliana Walmsley posted a photo of her and Abby on Tuesday, May 9. She captioned the photo, "Love you Miss Abby. I wouldn't be where I am without you. You have taught me so much about dance and life."
Maesi Caes also posted a lengthy message for Abby the day before. "Sending so many powerful, positive vibes, HUUUUUUUGGGGGEEE hugs, LOTS of love and prayers of strength across the miles to @therealabbylee. Sometimes the strength within you is not a big, fiery flame for all to see. It's just a tiny spark that whispers 'YOU GOT THIS,' " she wrote in the caption.
Abby was indicted in 2015 on 20 charges of bankruptcy fraud, concealment of bankruptcy assets and false bankruptcy declarations. Abby was accused of hiding her income for her TV deals, Masterclass studio sessions and merchandise sales between 2012 and 2013. She allegedly created secret bank accounts to hide her money which totaled over $755.000.
In 2016, she pleaded guilty to concealing assets and not reporting an international monetary transaction. "Events over the past several months have been extremely challenging for me, my family, my friends and most important, my students," she said in a statement. "Because of this I made the very difficult decision to close the door on this chapter of my life by accepting responsibility for mistakes I have made along the way."
The dance instructor announced her departure from "Dance Moms" last March. She took to Instagram to explain the situation. Abby claimed that she was "being manipulated, disrespected, and used day in day out" by the producers. In the caption, she dubbed the producers "men who never took a dance lesson in their lives and treat women like dirt."
