Summary
- Abby Lee Miller earned thousands per episode on Dance Moms, but also faced financial struggles and fraud charges in 2015.
- She was sued by co-star Kelly Hyland, faced prison time for bankruptcy fraud, and hid money in Australian currency.
- Despite health issues and financial woes, Abby Lee Miller's net worth is reportedly $1 million, and she's returning to television.
Dance Moms instructor Abby Lee Miller's no-nonsense approach to nailing dance routines and harsh critiques of her young dancers for the Abby Lee Dance Company made for reality television gold. For eight seasons, Miller was notorious for saying what was on her mind, even if that resulted in screaming matches between a dancer's mother or even making these talented young girls cry.
But, besides being known for her cut-throat personality, Miller was also known for her financial struggles. She spent time in prison after pleading guilty to bankruptcy fraud in 2015, and dealt with plenty of other money issues. Just how bad were Miller's finances, though? Let's take a look.
7 Abby Lee Miller Made A Considerable Amount On Dance Moms
The instructor was paid in the thousands for her role in the show
Dance Moms premiered in 2011 and ran for eight seasons, concluding in 2019. During the show's first seasons, Abby reportedly earned $1,500 for each episode. From Season 1 to Season 4, dancers on the series would earn $1,000 per episode. During Season 5, dancers were earning $2,000 an episode.
However, Abby was allegedly making a lot more money than she led on. According to Us Weekly, Abby was earning upwards of about $8,899 a month per season before she faced bankruptcy fraud charges. She was also making money from dancers who signed up for the Abby Lee Dance Company. And, with her immense popularity thanks to the show, it wouldn't have been surprising if she was cashing in on live appearances and anything else associated with her dance company.
6 She Was Sued By One Of Her Co-Stars
Kelly Hyland and her daughter sued Miller on two separate occasions
Dance Moms is known for the tense and heated exchanges between Abby Lee Miller and the moms of the show. However, things took a turn for the worse when it got physical between Abby and OG mom Kelly Hyland in 2013. Both women ended up filing lawsuits against one another. According to ET, Abby sued Kelly for assault and Kelly "sued for defamation and emotional distress."
The lawsuits were later dropped and Kelly's two daughters, Paige and Brooke, stopped dancing for the company.
"I think I was used to it because growing up I had to deal with it from such a young age ... But as I've gotten older, and I see clips, I'm like, that is not normal," Paige remarked about Abby scolding her as a child to E! News.
In 2014, Abby and Kelly would face each other again when Kelly's daughter, Paige, sued the instructor for assault and emotional distress. The assault stemmed from an incident where Abby threw a chair in the near proximity of Paige. However, a judge did not find sufficient evidence for Paige's claims and the lawsuit was dismissed.
5 Abby Lee Miller Was Accused Of Fraud In 2015
Miller pleaded guilty to 20 counts of bankruptcy fraud
In 2015, Abby Lee Miller was caught hiding thousands of dollars that she earned on the show from the government and faced serious criminal charges. The instructor was concealing as much as $750,000 in secret bank accounts and was charged with 20 counts of bankruptcy fraud. She was sentenced to a year in prison, but was released in March 2018, serving eight months.
According to Miller, her time in prison wasn't as pleasant as some other famous inmates might have experienced. In an interview with Good Morning America, the dance instructor revealed that prison guards taunted her and that she was unfairly treated because she was a reality star.
4 The Dance Instructor Hid Thousands Of Dollars In Australian Currency
Abby Lee Miller tried to hide $120,000 Australian dollars
While in the middle of her bankruptcy fraud case, Abby Lee Miller was also found to have been hiding $120,000 in Australian currency, which equates to over 80,000 U.S. dollars. According to People, Abby divided the money among her friends' luggage so that they could bring it to the U.S. Ultimately, Abby was forced to give up the money.
| Dance Moms Memorable Dancers | Season | Where Are They Now? |
|---|---|---|
| Maddie Ziegler | 1-6 | Maddie danced in music videos for Sia and has starred in films like, West Side Story and The Fallout. |
| Chloe Lukasiak | 1-4, 7 | Chloe is an actress who boasts over 8 million Instagram followers. |
| Mackenzie Ziegler | 1-6 | Mackenzie has released two studio albums. |
| JoJo Siwa | 4-6,8 | An actor and pop star, JoJo released her official debut single as an adult artist, "Karma" in 2024. |
| Nia Sioux | 1-7 | Nia worked on "The Bold and the Beautiful" and is a social media influencer with over 5 million Instagram followers. |
3 Abby Lee Miller Struggled Financially Before The Show
The instructor's studio was almost shut down due to unpaid taxes
Before Abby Lee Miller was hit with heavy charges of bankruptcy fraud and sent to prison because of it, she previously dealt with other pressing issues regarding her finances. A source for People revealed that before the Lifetime hit show was even a thing, Abby's dance studio was facing closure because she was in serious debt and did not pay her taxes.
"Before the show, we'd be [at the studio] on a Saturday afternoon and the sheriffs would come and post notices saying they were going to shut down the studio for unpaid taxes. They would be pinning notes," the source said.
However, the studio was saved thanks to some close-knit friends who didn't want to see Abby lose what she loved the most. Because of their help to get Abby out of her financial woe's, the dance instructor would allow a few dancers to train for no cost.
2 Abby Lee Miller Also Dealt With Health Struggles
The reality star was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in 2018
After Abby Lee Miller was released from prison in 2018, she faced several health issues. That same year, she was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, after undergoing emergency surgery on her spinal cord. As a result, she uses a wheelchair to get around.
In May 2019, Abby announced that she was cancer free and returned to Season 8 of Dance Moms. Although she had to teach her students in a wheelchair, Abby brought back that same fierce attitude she's so famous for.
1 Her Net Worth Is Reportedly $1 Million
Abby Lee Miller seems to be back on track with her finances
Abby Lee Miller found immense fame with Lifetime's Dance Moms, but what's her net worth today after her financial struggles? Abby is very active on YouTube, Instagram, and her Leave It On The Dance Floor podcast, which may be sources of income for the reality star. Of course, Abby also makes a living with her Abby Lee Dance Company in Los Angeles and her Zoom dance classes. She also sells Abby Lee Dance Company merchandise and released the book, Everything I Learned About Life, I Learned In Dance Class.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Abby has a net worth of $1million.
The instructor is also making a return to television after releasing a teaser trailer for her new show Abby Lee Dance With Me in April 2024.
Here's hoping she doesn't find herself in another sticky situation with her finances.
