The crimes that brought down the Sarma Melngailis’ New York culinary empire included stealing $2 million dollars from investors in the raw-food advocate’s various enterprises, as well her own employees, to whom she failed to pay wages, among other offenses. Trouble for Melngailis first started after she met and married Anthony Strangis under unusual circumstances. Strangis had a criminal record. Prior to that point there’s little evidence that Melngailis had any criminal intent, but after Strangis entered the picture Melngailis began diverting money from her legitimate businesses toward her new husband.
Many questions remain about what her true motivations might have been, or if Strangis pressured the restaurateur to offend, as People Magazine reports. Nevertheless, as pressure mounted on Melngailis and Strangis, the high-profile couple went on the run and were eventually apprehended after ordering for delivery a Domino’s pizza and a side of wings in Tennessee (conduct unbecoming an outspoken supporter of a vegan lifestyle, hence the “Bad Vegan” nickname). At the time, Brooklyn district attorney Ken Thompson said that Melngailis and Strangis “were finally caught and we intend to now hold them accountable for this outrageous thievery and fraud,” according to Vanity Fair.
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