What happened to Sarma Melngailis? know about her fatal Story
by Aishwarya R
Updated Mar 27, 2023
Who is Sarma Melngailis?
Sarma Melngailis is an American chef, businesswoman, and cookbook author, known for co-founding Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck, both vegan raw food restaurants located in New York City. Her restaurants were highly acclaimed, earning a spot in New York Magazine's Top 100 Restaurants and Forbes' All Star New York Eateries for five consecutive years. However, in 2016, her businesses shut down after staff left due to unpaid wages.
In 2016, Melngailis was arrested for fraud in Tennessee, after fleeing from New York. She was found guilty of the crime in 2017.
Before becoming a chef, Melngailis worked in the investment industry. She started at Bear Stearns in New York and later worked at Bain Capital in Boston. She returned to New York in 1998 and worked at CIBC in a high-yield investment fund, but eventually decided to pursue her passion for cooking. She enrolled at the French Culinary Institute in New York and graduated in 1999.
Despite the negative consequences of her actions, Melngailis took responsibility for her behavior by accepting a plea deal and serving time in prison. Holding oneself accountable for one's actions is an important step in moving forward and making amends for past mistakes.
What happened to Sarma Melngailis?
Sarma Melngailis and In 2015, Melngailis disappeared from the public eye, wanted for fraud and labor law violations. Due to the couple's theft, their staff, vendors, and landlords unionized and walked out, leading to unpaid wages.
Melngailis and Strangis were arrested after ordering food from Dominos Pizza, revealing their location. Melngailis was found hiding in a Tennessee hotel room after 40 days.
In Brooklyn Supreme Court, Melngailis accepted a plea deal, resulting in a split six-month sentence, with four months to be served in jail and five years of probation. Strangis pleaded guilty to four counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree and was ordered to pay $840,000 in restitution to the investors he had swindled.
Melngailis started out with a successful business that garnered praise from critics and patrons alike. However, after she became romantically involved with Strangis, her desire for wealth and status led her to make poor decisions that ultimately led to the downfall of her business.
Where is Sarma Melngailis now?
It is reported that Melngailis resides in the Harlem area of New York and remains active on social media. In a recent Instagram post on December 24th, 2022, she shared a photo featuring her dog, Leon.
In an interview with Tudum, a Netflix website, earlier this year, she revealed that having Leon with her helps her stay grounded. She mentioned that she sometimes holds his face, looks into his eyes, and tells him that everything will be alright, which helps her feel better. This action, in effect, reassures herself. She further added that while some dogs get anxious when their owner leaves the house, for them, it is the opposite. Leon is fine, and she is the one who gets anxious when away from him.
It has been mentioned on her website that Melngailis is currently working on a book, although further details have not been provided.
Melngailis' fraudulent behavior and labor law violations led to the loss of her business, a prison sentence, and financial ruin. In addition to legal repercussions, unethical behavior can lead to reputational damage and loss of trust from customers and the community.
Sarma Melngailis Story
It has been reported that after Melngailis and Strangis began their relationship, the operations manager of Pure Food and Wine was dismissed and replaced by a younger employee who had no prior experience in accounting. Strangis then took control of the business finances, with Melngailis' money going directly into his pocket. It is said that Strangis threatened to ruin everything if she stopped.
According to Vanity Fair, Melngailis transferred over $1.6 million from her business accounts to her personal bank account, and Strangis spent $1.2 million of this amount at Connecticut casinos. Allegedly, Strangis promised to provide her with enough money to become independent of investors and pay off her debts, including the $1 million owed to the original backer of Pure Food and Wine. However, Strangis's attorney denied making such promises.
For her crimes and fraud, she has been arrested along with her husband. She spent her years in jail and has become a notable figure in America. She is active on social media and spends her life silently. The story of Sarma Melngailis serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed, dishonesty, and the consequences that come with unethical behavior.
Sarma Melngailis Net worth
Sarma Melngailis is an American chef, cookbook author, and former business owner who was born on September 10, 1972. She is best known as the founder and owner of Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck, two vegan raw food restaurants in New York City that received critical acclaim for their cuisine. However, her success was short-lived, as her businesses closed in 2015 after a scandal involving fraud and labor law violations. Melngailis was arrested and served time in prison for her actions. Despite her legal troubles, she remains active on social media and is reportedly working on a book.
Sarma Melngailis Networth 2023
Name
Sarma Melngailis
Profession
American chef and businesswoman
Age
50
Source of Income
Through her chef career
Net woth
$ 1.5 million
Sarma Melngailis Husband
Anthony Strangis, who was once married to Sarma Melngailis, played a key role in her fraudulent schemes. Strangis grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts, and after his parents' divorce, he lived with his father. He did not complete college and moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 2004, where he married a woman named Stacy Avery. Avery claimed that Strangis pawned her possessions and disappeared after she became pregnant, leaving her in financial distress.
When Strangis and Melngailis began their relationship, he insisted that she undergo a series of tests and made extravagant promises, including the ability to make her and her dog immortal. They collaborated on her successful business ventures, which ultimately ended in scandal and legal trouble.
Sarma Melngailis Instagram
Sarma Melngailis is active on Instagram in his Instagram account @sarmamelngailis. She has followers 87.9k. She posts all her moments on Instagram. It shows that she is overcoming her past life and leading a peaceful life. It is common that people do mistakes and then later realize and pardon the mistakes in their past. Instagram is really a great medium for communication between celebrities and fans. Many celebrities are on Instagram and their fans knew each and every of their favorite celebrity's life. Even a common man also becomes an Instagram celebrity now.
What happened to Sarma Melngailis - FAQs
Sarma Melngailis is known as an American chef, cookbook author, and businesswoman who owned and co-founded Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck, both vegan raw food restaurants in New York City.
Both businesses closed in 2016 after staff walked out over unpaid wages, and Melngailis fled New York. She was later arrested for fraud in Tennessee.
Melngailis reportedly transferred over $1.6 million from her business accounts to her personal bank account, and her ex-husband, Anthony Strangis, spent $1.2 million of this money at Connecticut casinos. They were also accused of swindling investors.
Yes, Melngailis was convicted of grand larceny in the second degree, criminal tax fraud in the third degree, and a scheme to defraud in the first degree. She was sentenced to four months in jail and five years' probation.