The 5 Biggest Developments Since 'Bad Vegan' (2024)

Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives is the latest true-crime documentary series on Netflix about con-artistry, fraud, romance, veganism, meat suits, and immortal dogs.

Hot on the heels of Netflix's Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna, Bad Vegan delves deep into the story of Sarma Melngailis, the owner of Manhattan's Pure Food and Wine, a vegan restaurant, and Anthony Strangis, a convicted conman.

Melngailis and Strangis met in 2011 and over the years, Strangis was able to convince Melngailis to send him almost $2 million from her personal and business accounts by claiming he was a Black Op, who was working towards reaching a utopia where Melngailis beloved dog Leon would be immortal.

The transfer of funds was part of a series of tests Strangis fabricated as well as convincing Melgnailis it was for her own protection.

In May 2016, Melngailis and Strangis were arrested in Sevierville, Tennessee on several charges of fraud after Strangis ordered a Domino's Pizza delivery to his hotel room under his real name.

Melngailis and Strangis both took plea deals. She pleaded guilty in May 2017 to stealing more than $200,000 from an investor and scheming to defraud, as well as criminal tax fraud charges. Strangis pleaded guilty to four counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree.

Since the release of Bad Vegan, both Melngailis and Strangis has spoken out about the documentary and there has been some other developments.

Newsweek has everything you need to know.

The 5 Biggest Developments Since Bad Vegan

1. Sarma Melngailis Paid Her Staff With Netflix Fee

On the day of Bad Vegan's release, Melngailis took to her own personal blog to clarify a few things for audiences. One thing in particular, Melngailis was keen to clear up was the payment of the staff who worked at her restaurant's Pure Food and Wine and Lucky Duck.

Writing in her blog post "ABOUT BAD VEGAN – PART ONE," Melngailis confirmed she was paid by the producers of Bad Vegan, so she could pay her staff.

She explained: "It's standard practice—to say nothing of journalistic integrity—that subjects do not get paid for participation in documentaries, at least not the reputable ones. In my case, however, and at my insistence, the producers made an exception so that I could pay the total amount my former employees were owed—amounts that accrued after my disappearance in 2015."

Melngailis explained that her fee was paid to an attorney on her behalf, who then "wired full payment directly to the attorney representing the employees."

She added: "(While the funds bypassed me entirely, I did declare them for income tax purposes, just to be clear). The point is... beyond getting former employees repaid, I did not otherwise profit from Bad Vegan. Netflix and/or the producers can confirm this."

2. Sarma Calls Out "Inaccuracies" in Bad Vegan

Also in her personal blog, Sarma praised Bad Vegan for conveying how close she was with her employees and that "intentionally harming them is just about the last thing I'd have done."

She also accepted that due to the "weird and complicated" nature of her story, it was "inevitable that the documentary would get some things wrong" calling the documentary series "disturbingly misleading" at points.

She penned: "There's a lot Bad Vegan gets right, but it's hard not to get stuck on the things that aren't right or leave an inaccurate impression. Later, I'd like to clear up more."

In particular, Melngailis believes the retelling of her and Strangis leaving New York for over 10 months was "inaccurately condensed." In particular, she took issue with the inclusion of tabloid reports claiming she had "fled" New York or was "on the lam." Melngailis and Strangis did leave New York in mid-2015 and returned in May 2016 after their arrest.

She wrote: "I didn't leave voluntarily. I didn't know what funds Anthony had at the time, and I no longer had access to my electronic devices and email/text accounts. I can already hear the troll chorus of Yeah right! but most of what I say is verifiable. It also feels important to point out that of the money I'd raised at the end, over 90 percent went to re-open the restaurant and make payments. The idea that I would do all of that only to then run away with a man I hated and feared makes no sense. I didn't want to marry him, and that part of the story was inaccurately condensed."

The end of the Netflix documentary plays audio of a phone call between Strangis and Melngailis, insinuating they are on good terms, leaving viewers to speculate that they might still be in touch.

In her blog post, Melngailis asserted she made the recordings at a much earlier time for "a specific reason."

She wrote: "The ending of Bad Vegan is disturbingly misleading; I am not in touch with Anthony Strangis and I made those recordings at a much earlier time, deliberately, for a specific reason. "

In response to Melngailis claims, Bad Vegan director Chris Smith and executive producer Ryann Fraser told Newsweek: "The inclusion of the last phone call isn't to imply that Sarma and Anthony were still close. The call is dated "22 Months After Prison"—and Anthony clearly says at the end of the call—"it was nice to hear your voice"—which we feel shows that communication between them is not common."

"In this call, we found Sarma to be confident and strong—making fun of the tales Anthony had spun, telling him that he had to show up on a unicorn for there to be any reconciliation (meaning there is no reconciliation). Lastly—this call was one of the few pieces of audio we found of them communicating in a way that helped us understand their relationship in the first place."

3. Anthony Strangis Breaks His Silence

Since Anthony Strangis' release from prison over five years ago very little is known about him. Upon the documentary's immediate release, Strangis did not speak out but on Monday, March 21, that changed.

In a statement to E! News, Strangis' lawyer, Sam Karliner, said Strangis had put all of the controversies of his past actions behind him.

Karliner said: "He's gone on to live his life. He's got a job, uses his name, this is behind him and she's [Melngailis] behind him."

He also confirmed Melngailis and Strangis are not in touch and he did not take part in the documentary simply because he "didn't want to be involved."

Karliner continued: "He pled guilty to it, he owned up to it and he did it long before Sarma did. His case was resolved probably close to a year before Sarma's was."

"Anthony is remorseful for the people at the restaurant that lost money and he took full responsibility for his part in that."

Newsweek has approached Melngailis for comment.

4. Sarma Melngailis Takes Aim At Netflix

Melngailis not only had a slight issue with the documentary itself, but she also took aim at Netflix's promotional campaign for Bad Vegan.

To advertise Bad Vegan on Netflix, the streaming giant released several social media adverts under the Twitter account "Perpetual Pup," referring to the promises Strangis made to Melngailis when they were together that he had the power to make her dog Leon, immortal.

The ads teased: "Do you want your dog to live forever? You're not the only one. Click to learn more."

Alongside sat an advert adverting the ability of dogs to live forever.

Perpetual Pup's Twitter bio also reads: "You wanted to make your dog immortal. You're not the only one. Bad Vegan is now streaming on Netflix."

Taking to Instagram to share her frustrations, Melngailis wrote alongside a screenshot of the campaign: "I'm sick. On behalf of dogs and the humans who love them. And on behalf of anyone psychologically abused. Please see my Twitter to hear the audio on this clip, for which the word disturbing is far too mild. The audio is... making a joke out of me. This is how @netflix markets #badvegan? By mocking me, and worse... by luring people to click via... pet immortality? How is this ok?? @netflix you made this. I wish I could ask all those who signed off on this to explain it to me so I understand. Was there a room full people laughing while the audio was scripted? And everyone was just cool with this?"

Newsweek has contacted Netflix for comment.

5. Sarma Melngailis Is Recording a Podcast

Sarma Melngailis served four months in prison at the notorious Rikers Island. She also received five years' probation. Upon her release in October 2017, she filed for divorce from Strangis several months later, in May 2018.

Ever since Bad Vegan dropped on Netflix, viewers have been curious to know what Sarma Melngailis is doing now.

Thankfully Melngailis has been sharing some snippets of her life today on Instagram. She is living outside in New York with her dog, Leon, and is also working on her memoir and podcast.

Alongside an image of herself, she wrote: "My set up on the floor in the quietest corner I could find while away from home to do one podcast, the only one I felt made sense for now."

Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives is streaming on Netflix now.

Update 23/03/22, 06:48 a.m. ET: This article was updated to remove the phrase 'exclusive statement' in the article.