Dance Moms news: Abby Lee Miller's Arraignment On Nov. 5, Indicted For Hiding Income Worth $755,000
Abby Lee Miller, the famous dance coach and a "Dance Moms' staple, has been indicted of fraud in way of concealment of income. A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh last week accused her of concealing income worth $755,000 during her bankruptcy filing. Her arraignment is scheduled for November 5, 2015 in Pittsburgh, according to Deadline.
A chance sighting of Abby Lee Miller on TV while the judge handling her bankruptcy case was channel-surfing led to an investigation that revealed the fraud.
Miller is the mainstay of the Lifetime docuseries, "Dance Moms," which showcases Miller coaching children through highly competitive and tension-fraught dance seasons that will soon be airing it's sixth season. Before this, on December 2010, Miller had filed for bankruptcy and showed a debt of $356,000, as Bankruptcy Beat reported.
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While still a teenager of 14, she founded the Abby Lee Dance Company in 1980. She has taught 3,000 to 4,000 students up to the present.
"Dance Moms" shot her to stardom as she coached kids to win competitions every season of "Dance Moms." The kids' mothers were also featured in the show. It was riddled with controversies and continues to do so as each season had dramatic fights featuring the mothers and Miller.
The Lifetime show's huge success has given Miller another series, "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition." It started airing October 9, 2012.
Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh said that there was a clear intention of fraud as her bankruptcy filing did not disclose these 2012 and 2013 earnings from the Lifetime shows, as well as the money she got from dance sessions, merchandise and apparel sales. Thisn all amounted to $755,000.
Because of this concealment, her company, The Abby Lee Dance Company' could 'restructure her debts.'
If Miller is found guilty, she could, in all probability, be in for a five-year jail sentence, a $250,000 fine or both, for each count on which she will be found guilty. The indictment Miller faces is a 20-count indictment.
