Abby Lee Miller pleads guilty to bankruptcy case

Pittsburgh — Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller pleaded guilty Monday to bankruptcy fraud and failing to report thousands of dollars in Australian currency she brought into the country.

Miller pleaded guilty to one count of concealing bankruptcy assets and one count of structuring international monetary transactions.

She was charged last fall with illegally trying to hide $775 000 worth of income from the Lifetime network reality show and spinoff projects during her Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Authorities later accused her of dividing more than $120 000 into plastic bags and having others in her group put the bags in their luggage in August 2014, violating a law requiring people to report bringing more than $10 000 worth of foreign currency into the country.

Miller, who remains free on $10 000 unsecured bond, issued a statement last week accepting responsibility for what she called "mistakes." Defence attorney Robert Ridge said in a statement Monday that it had been "a challenging time" and that Miller "appreciates the words of encouragement and support from around the world."

Miller was scheduled for sentencing on 11 October, though the date could be moved pending the outcome of another, similar bankruptcy case now before the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that could affect her sentence. Prosecutors said guidelines call for a sentence of 24 to 30 months, but the defense contends that her creditors incurred no loss, meaning the sentence could range from probation to up to six months.

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