Seem to, Sarma Melngailis Away from ”Crappy Vegan” Would like to Reopen This lady Cafe

Sarma Melngailis was at the center of brand new Netflix offense documentary ”Crappy Vegetarian: Glory. Fraud. Fugitives.” Melngailis’s tale is just one filled up with twists and you can turns and you will incredible says. She once was at the top of this new York food world, with celebrities such as for example Alec Baldwin and Woody Harrelson just a few of the lady regular consumers. Immediately after not paying her staff and you will age crashing down, as she swiftly became noted for their part during the a fraudulent scandal you to shook New york city in addition to vegetarian industry.

The former proprietor of the latest York’s esteemed intense vegan eatery Absolute Food and navigate to website Drink is actually disgraced inside the 2015 adopting the closure of the girl bistro and further in 2016 whenever she was arrested into counts out of 2nd-studies grand larceny, second-studies violent income tax ripoff, first-degree program so you can defraud, pass regarding work legislation, and you will related matters. For the 2017, Melngailis approved an effective plea offer and you will are in the course of time sentenced so you’re able to five weeks within the prison and 5 years probation, Forbes advertised. The fresh disgraced vegan restaurateur’s existence has actually somewhat altered because losings out-of the girl company and you can then stop, but where is actually she now? Here is what to learn about where ”Crappy Veggie”is the reason Melngailis has grown to become.

Who is Sarma Melngailis?

Melngailis don’t rating the girl start in meals business up until her later twenties. She to start with got an eye for company (foreshadowing, far?) and finished in the School away from Pennsylvania during the 1994 that have an effective bachelor’s studies for the business economics. After the this lady graduation, Melngailis proceeded to function an abundance of efforts that oriented on business, plus money banking and you can money finance, predicated on this lady website.

Her interest in money didn’t last, and you may she decided to go to the Cooking Institute of The usa, graduating in 1999 which have hopes of cracking on dinner community. Into the 2004, she unsealed Pure food and you can Drink together with her upcoming-boyfriend and you will cook, Matthew Kenney. For the next age certainly one of The newest York’s most popular dining, continuously praised by important guides instance Ny Journal and you can Forbes. Because of the 2015, however, the latest tide had entirely changed.

Exactly how Did Sarma Melngailis Score Stuck?

Last year, Melngailis found Anthony Strangis due to Myspace, as well as the two . With respect to the New york Article, Melngailis hired Strangis because the an employer during the 2013, and that quickly changed what you. A line prepare working for Melngailis during the time detailed, ”[Melngailis] do go on a whole lot more travel. [She] without a doubt turned alot more elusive, less concerned with the new really-getting of the providers.”

Their impractical intimate connection and you may business relationship confused friends, family, and you can team out of Melngailis, however, there’s a reason behind it. According to Mirror Reasonable, Strangis ”try promising to provide the lady enough currency to become independent out-of meddling people, assist people she wanted, and you may pay the lady debts.” Strangis decrease by way of to the his of many promises, and additionally you to definitely the guy designed to build Melngailis’s pit bull terrier immortal. As an alternative, together with her, it took $dos mil regarding the bistro from the not paying specialists and lying in order to buyers. The fresh new duo presumably used the cash on local casino travel and you will costly luxuries, such as for instance rooms and you may observe.

Just after good workers’ strike by Pure food and you will Wine staff for the 2015, their funds-and also make design started to crumble. To the tension of having to expend each other team and you will people, Melngailis and you will Strangis proceeded this new manage, wanting to end extradition for their crimes until a beneficial Domino’s pizza acquisition tipped from the police.

In which Are Sarma Melngailis Today?

Shortly after offering four weeks on The York’s notorious Rikers Isle prison, she submitted for divorce regarding Strangis into the 2018. Centered on her web site, she already stays in Harlem together cut dog, Leon. Melngailis and appears to be focusing on an effective podcast, each a post on the woman Instagram web page, and can come in ”Crappy Vegetarian.” To your returning to the cafe community, she remains optimistic but realistic, telling the newest York Post from inside the 2019, ”If the discover certain magical possibility to discover a comparable cafe in the same put, I would do so within the a heart circulation. I do believe Nyc create just take myself back.”