Where is Abby Lee Miller now? ‘Dance Moms’ star served time in prison after being arrested for tax fraud
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Dance Moms' star Abby Lee Miller is a famous dance coach, best known for her strict and over-the-top antics on her hit show. The former TV personality runs the Abby Lee Dance Company in LA, which offers dance instruction, competes in various competitions, and also provides virtual classes through Zoom. Abby started her podcast 'Leave It On The Dance Floor' in June 2023.
For the unversed, 'Dance Moms' premiered in 2011 and was on air for eight seasons. During that time on the show, Miller found herself in the middle of financial struggles.
In October 2015, the dance instructor was indicted by a Pittsburgh grand jury on 20 counts of fraud and accused of hiding over $755,000 in earnings from the popular reality series, according to Deadline.
At the time, Miller was not found guilty but she changed her plea in June 2016. In May 2017, she was sentenced to 366 days in prison.
Then, Chief Judge Joy Flowers Conti told Miller, "You weren’t truthful, even when you knew you were supposed to tell everything, you still weren’t truthful. Somehow you got caught up in the world of fame and you lost your moral compass."
Alongside the imposition of a prison sentence, she was obligated to settle a substantial $40,000 fine and a staggering $120,000 judgment. At that particular moment, Miller's legal representatives expressed their utmost deference towards the judge's ruling, while Miller herself conveyed a sense of immense relief and tranquility.
When was ‘Dance Moms’ star Abby Lee Miller released from prison?
In 2018, Abby Lee Miller was granted early release from prison on account of her persistent health problems. Since then, she has reentered the routine of her former existence. She has also become increasingly outspoken about her former students, alleging that they deserted her during her incarceration.
During an interview with ET in April 2022, Miller criticized the families of her students who completely severed communication with her.
Talking of the 'Dance Moms' families, Miller said, "Shame on you. Shame on you after what I did for you, for your children -- helped make you a lot of money. You couldn’t come to visit me for eight and a half months? You couldn’t send a card, a letter?"
"I was getting mail from children in other countries and somehow, twelve-and thirteen-year-old little girls were finding the address," she added.
Miller added, "They were getting their cards and letters to me, and people here, that I taught their children before the television show -- they were very happy customers before Dance Moms, and then during it, they were stars, they were making money, they were on top of the world -- and you’re just going to dump me?"
"It’s not hurtful anymore, because you realize real quick who your friends are," she concluded.
Did ‘Dance Moms’ star Abby Lee Miller have cancer?
In 2018, Abby Lee Miller received a devastating diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The initial indication of her condition was intense pain at the back of her neck. Burkitt lymphoma primarily affects the organs and requires extensive medical intervention.
Miller's battle against cancer has been arduous, involving multiple surgeries and a rigorous course of chemotherapy. She has faced numerous challenges along the way, including emergency surgery to repair a severe leg injury sustained in a swimming pool accident. The chemotherapy treatments took a toll on her skeletal system, rendering her bones fragile and prone to breakage.
Despite these setbacks, Miller's perseverance and resilience paid off. Through additional surgeries and ten rounds of spinal tap chemotherapy, she has triumphed over her illness and is now cancer-free.
Why was Abby Lee Miller not invited to ‘Dance Moms: The Reunion’?
Abby Lee Miller will not be seen in ‘Dance Moms: The Reunion.'
A source told People magazine, that certain cast members asked for their previous dance instructor and coach, Abby Lee Miller, to be excluded from the upcoming special. They wanted the focus to be on the girls and their own experiences.
"At this point, everyone has gone through different eras, had time to reflect and there’s been a lot that Abby put them through emotionally and physically and they just didn’t want to relive that," the source told the magazine.
An insider stated that the "ones who say they know they wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Dance Moms," others have mentioned they want "nothing to do with any of it at all like Maddie [Ziegler]."
"But some of those involved decided that they would only be a part of the reunion if Abby wasn’t. The girls were able to speak their minds more openly without her there," the source continued.
According to the source, it was observed that the initial approach was made to the girls, who expressed their strong opposition towards Miller's presence and made it clear that they would refuse to participate in the reunion if she was involved. Consequently, due to this unanimous sentiment among the girls, Miller, who is 58 years old, was ultimately not extended an invitation to be a part of the reunion.
'Dance Moms: The Reunion' premieres on May 1, 2024, at 8 pm ET on Lifetime.