Sarma Melngailis and Anthony Strangis; the couple whose fraudulent scheme was captured in Netflix’s Bad Vegan, are now free people. While they may still be trying to pay off the massive debt they incurred, they are no longer in the hands of the U.S. Department of Corrections.
Now divorced, Melngailis has had a lot to say about her marriage. Strangis, on the other hand, has remained mum. He lived a life of crime for most of his life so the real question now is will he be able to leave it all behind? Only time will tell.
What is Bad Vegan About?
Bad Vegan is a documentary about how Sarma Melngailis went from being a popular New York chef to becoming a convicted felon. The four-part Netflix series, helmed by Chris Smith, introduces viewers to Sarma as a successful restauranteur with two vegan eating places. She was portrayed as one rubbing shoulders with higher-ups in the worlds of politics, entertainment, and business until her restaurants folded.
This was not because of a recession or some lousy business deal she entered into; it shut down because Melngailis milked it dry. Encouraged by her husband, Anthony Strangis, she used the funds from her firms to bankroll the lavish lifestyle they lived. Workers were owed salaries as well, and investors lost their money in the process. The duo would later flee but be caught a few months later to answer for their crimes.
The documentary Bad Vegan, released in 2022, was a box office hit that catapulted both Melngailis and Strangis into infamy.
Is Bad Vegan a True Story?
Bad Vegan is a true story and the people who it tells their story exist to this day. Yes, there are accusations that the documentary may have fictionalized a few parts of the story, but the main gist of it is true.
Celebrity chef Sarma Melngailis and her con artist ex-husband, Anthony Strangis, are the main characters in the story. Melngailis was a revered chef who had everything going for her until she got involved with Strangis in 2011.
The duo got married in 2012 and everything started to go wrong for her. Strangis encouraged his wife to take money from her business to fund their expensive lifestyle. She did this and could no longer meet financial obligations at her restaurants so it shut down. The duo would also later run away once the authorities got involved and charges were filed.
How Old Is Sarma Melngailis Now?
Sarma Melngailis is 52 years old. A Gen X, Sarma was born on September 10, 1972. She grew up in Massachusetts and attended the University of Pennsylvania where she bagged an economics degree. She worked in finance for a few years before quitting to attend culinary school and become a chef.
Sarma was inspired to become a chef by her mother. Her father was an MIT physicist while her mom was a professional chef.
A Look at Anthony Strangis’ Backstory
Anthony Strangis went by the name Shame Fox while he was with Sarma Melngailis. He was a conman through and through as he lied through his teeth all through the time he was with Sarma.
From the records of his arrest, we could find that he was born in 1981 and grew up in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Anthony always had a taste for the good life but could never afford it. His half-brother John revealed that he resorted to conning people to achieve it. He conned everyone he came across, from his father to all the women he dated and married.
How Sarma Melngailis and Anthony Strangis Met and Got Married
Anthony Strangis met Sarma Melngailis on Twitter. They began dating in 2011 and married a year later. It was all very quick thanks to Anthony and his sweet tongue. He mesmerized Sarma with stories of him working for the government on a cosmic project and having the ability to give immortality to her dog as well as enable her to stay young forever.
Other grandiose promises he made her include giving her access to the funds required to take her business global and do world-changing things like eliminating factory farming.
Sarma believed her husband and gave him the keys to her business as she took out money incessantly for their personal use. The duo traveled the world and lived an expensive lifestyle. They also gambled a huge chunk away.
The Downfall of the Couple
By 2014, Sarma Melngailis found it difficult to pay her staff on several occasions, and in January 2015, her restaurants were shut down. She and Strangis managed to find some money, about $844,000, and the restaurants re-opened. They operated it for about five months before it shut down permanently as they just couldn’t meet up with their obligations.
Overall, Melngailis and Strangis withdrew about $1.6 million to $2 million from Sarma’s restaurant. The restaurant owed about $400,000 in taxes and couldn’t pay investors or make rent. This got the cops involved and arrest warrants were issued for the couple.
Melngailis and Strangis didn’t stand around to get arrested for their crimes and so ran away. They fled New York and remained on the run for 10 months until they were caught in the Tennessee town of Sevierville.
What Happened To Sarma Melngailis?
Sarma Melngailis is alive and well. She has served her time and is looking to make an honest living again. After she was arrested and taken back to New York to answer for her crimes, she agreed to a deal that saw her plead guilty and receive a reduced sentence. She only spent four months in prison.
What Happened To Anthony Strangis?
Anthony Strangis doesn’t want to be heard of so no one knows his exact whereabouts, except the authorities of course. Just like Melngailis, he reached a plea deal that saw him get one to three years in prison and five years probation. He was also ordered to pay back $840,000.
Where Is Sarma Melngailis Today?
Sarma Melngailis is now a free woman. If you are looking for her, you can find her in New York where she resides. Not many people would have been able to go back to the city where they committed fraudulent activities but Sarma overcame all that to go back and restart her life.
After prison, she divorced her husband and tries to live a normal life with her dog Leon who she often talks about on Instagram. Sarma also shares her thoughts on what happened with Anthony Strangis and the time she spent in prison.
What Is Sarma Melngailis Doing Now?
Sarma Melngailis is no longer in the restaurant business. There isn’t a financier on earth that is going to touch her with a ten-foot pole after what transpired. Left with not much option, she is looking to write a book.
Melngailis is writing a memoir about the wild ride she took with Anthony Strangis and the fall of her businesses. One of the motives is to also respond to the narrative investigated in the Bad Vegan series on Netflix.
Where Is Anthony Strangis Now?
Anthony Strangis has kept mum ever since he came out from prison. Nobody has heard anything from him, unlike his ex-wife who keeps her social media active. With this, it’s challenging to tell where he is at present and what he does for a living. One thing that is quite sure is that he is in the United States and would be working to pay off his debt.
What Is Sarma Melngailis Net Worth Compared To Anthony Strangis’ Net Worth Today?
Sarma Melngailis had a net worth of $1.5 million but is worth nothing today. If anything, her net worth can be said to be in the negative due to the amount of debt she is in. The same goes for Anthony Strangis who didn’t have much of a net worth to begin with, conning his way through life.