Sarma Melngailis was at the middle of the latest Netflix crime documentary “Bad Vegan: Magnificence. Swindle. Fugitives.” Melngailis’s tale is the one filled with twists and turns and you may incredible states. She was previously towards the top of the newest York dinner scene, with superstars such as Alec Baldwin and you can Woody Harrelson just some of this lady frequent users. Just after not paying the lady staff and you will age crashing off, just like the she fast turned into known for the girl character in the a fake scandal that shook New york city in addition to veggie community.
The previous proprietor of the latest York’s important brutal vegetarian cafe Absolute As well as Wines was disgraced in the 2015 pursuing the closing from this lady restaurant and additional in 2016 whenever she was detained into the counts out-of second-degree huge larceny, second-degree criminal income tax con, first-training system in order to defraud, pass off work legislation, and you can related matters. Inside 2017, Melngailis acknowledged a beneficial plea bargain and you may was fundamentally sentenced so you can four months inside the prison and you may 5 years probation, Forbes claimed. The brand new disgraced vegan restaurateur’s lives have significantly changed since the loss from this lady business and you can subsequent arrest, however, where try she now? Here’s what to know about in which “Crappy Vegan”‘s 
the reason Melngailis grew to become.
That is Sarma Melngailis?
Melngailis failed to rating the girl begin in your meal industry until the lady late 20s. She originally got a watch to own providers (foreshadowing, much?) and you may graduated regarding the University of Pennsylvania in the 1994 with an excellent bachelor’s degree during the economics. After the the girl graduation, Melngailis proceeded to be effective many efforts you to built towards the organization, including financing financial and you can investment funds, based on the lady website.
Her interest in financing failed to history, and you will she decided to go to the new Culinary Institute of America, graduating in the 1999 having hopes of cracking towards dinner industry. Into the 2004, she started Pure food and you will Wine with her then-boyfriend and you will cook, Matthew Kenney. For the next e certainly one of The fresh new York’s top dining, continuously applauded of the important products eg Ny Mag and you may Forbes. By the 2015, but not, the latest wave had entirely altered.
Exactly how Did Sarma Melngailis Rating Stuck?
Last year, Melngailis came across Anthony Strangis owing to Myspace, and the one or two . Depending on the Nyc Article, Melngailis rented Strangis because the an employer for the 2013, and therefore instantaneously altered everything you. A line get ready helping Melngailis at the time indexed, “[Melngailis] manage embark on much more trips. [She] of course became alot more challenging, smaller concerned about the new well-becoming of your own business.”
Their unlikely intimate commitment and you may company connection mislead family unit members, family relations, and you can staff off Melngailis, however, there is certainly a reason at the rear of it. Predicated on Vanity Reasonable, Strangis “is actually promising giving the lady enough money in order to become separate away from meddling traders, help someone she wanted, and you can repay the woman expense.” Strangis decrease using to your his of numerous promises, also one he made to create Melngailis’s pit bull terrier immortal. Alternatively, with her, it took $2 million on cafe of the failing to pay experts and you will sleeping to buyers. Brand new duo allegedly made use of the cash on gambling establishment trips and you may pricey luxuries, such as for example lodging and watches.
Once a good workers’ hit by the Pure-food and Wines group from inside the 2015, their cash-and then make design come to crumble. On pressure having to invest both team and you can buyers, Melngailis and you can Strangis continued this new focus on, attempting to stop extradition due to their crimes up until good Domino’s pizza purchase tipped from the cops.
In which Try Sarma Melngailis Now?
Once serving five weeks at the New York’s well known Rikers Island jail, she recorded to own separation out of Strangis in the 2018. According to this lady website, she currently stays in Harlem together with her cut dog, Leon. Melngailis and additionally is apparently dealing with an effective podcast, each an overview of the woman Instagram web page, and certainly will appear in “Crappy Vegetarian.” On the back to new restaurant business, she remains upbeat however, realistic, telling the fresh York Article when you look at the 2019, “If there clearly was particular magical chance to unlock a similar eatery in the same lay, I’d take action inside a heart circulation. In my opinion Nyc would take me personally right back.”
