‘Vegan Bernie Madoff’ freed from Rikers
So-called “Bad Vegan” Sarma Melngailis was freed from Rikers Island Friday after completing a four-month jail sentence on fraud and grand-larceny charges.
The former owner of celeb-fave Gramercy Park “raw vegan” restaurant Pure Food and Wine will now serve five years’ probation.
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She must also pay $1 million restitution for admittedly stiffing investors, her employees and state tax officials.
Melngailis got earned the moniker “Bad Vegan” after cops caught her and Strangis by tracing a call the two made while on the lam — to Dominos pizza.
She has insisted the pizza was being ordered by Strangis, who pleaded guilty to the plot in March, and whom she is divorcing.
Melngailis was hardly beef-free after she left court with her father, John.
She blamed her criminal woes on her gambling-addicted, co-defendant husband, Anthony Strangis.
“Why would I destroy what I cared about more than anything else?” she told The Post in an email.
“And hurt others? It doesn’t make any sense. There was a larger purpose behind the brand and business. I’m devastated by what happened.”
Prosecutors had hoped she’d spend 1-3 years in prison, but in ordering the cuffs off Melngailis Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun said “many, many things” factored into the wrist-slap sentence.
“She was abused by the co-defendant,” he said. Plus there were “many, many” letters written on her behalf, she admitted her guilt, and this was her first offense, the judge noted.
“She is done with this and it’s time to move on,” said her lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman.