Bad Vegan: The Netflix Doc That Sparked a Fraud Dispute
A vegan restaurant owner's fall from grace—and her claims the Netflix documentary got it wrong
In 2022, Netflix released Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives., a four-part documentary directed by Chris Smith that examines one of New York's most shocking restaurant fraud cases. At the center: Sarma Melngailis, the once-celebrated owner of Pure Food and Wine, a vegan restaurant that became a Manhattan dining destination.
The documentary chronicles how over $1.6 million was illegally transferred from the restaurant into personal accounts. According to the series, Melngailis made these transfers to her husband, Anthony Strangis—a man who operated under the alias "Shane Fox" and who prosecutors describe as a conman.
But here's where the story becomes complicated. Melngailis has since contested the documentary's portrayal of events. She claims that Strangis coerced her into stealing from her own restaurant and subsequently going on the run from authorities. In her telling, she was not simply a willing participant in fraud, but rather a victim of manipulation and control.
Director Chris Smith has publicly stated his own doubts about Melngailis's culpability, saying: "I do not believe Sarma would have ever been involved or resorted to any criminal activity on her own." This statement from the filmmaker himself underscores the documentary's central tension—one that Melngailis has amplified in her own public response.
Following the documentary's release, Melngailis published a memoir titled "The Girl with the Duck Tattoo," offering her side of the story in greater detail. She has also posted written responses online disputing the series's accuracy, arguing that the documentary fundamentally misrepresents what happened to her.
The case gained renewed attention in January 2026 when Melngailis appeared on Crime Week for an interview with Megyn Kelly, bringing her perspective back into the public conversation about the crimes at Pure Food and Wine.
