How Domino’s pizza exposed Bad Vegan chef Sarma Melngailis’ $2m con ‘arranged by ex’ who vowed to make her dog immortal

SHE was the emerging New York vegan chef applauded by A-listers and called ‘mama’ by her staff - but soon she went from idolised to infamous. 

In a stranger than fiction tale, Sarma Melngailis, 49, secretly syphoned £1.5m ($2m) to her “controlling” estranged husband, who claimed the funds were needed otherwise he would be killed - and in return, he promised to make her dog immortal.

Anthony Strangis, whom Melngailis met on Twitter, told the foodie, dubbed "Queen Vegan", that he was black ops, an underground force that runs military operations.

Melngailis claims he was controlling and pushed her into handing over cash, while also making her take “loyalty tests” and perform sex acts while blindfolded.

In return, she says Anthony promised to expand her restaurant empire, banish their financial woes - and ensure pitbull Leon would live forever.

The pair went on the run in 2015, after Melngailis swiped cash from investors, failed to pay $400K in taxes and failed to pay employees - who had gone on strike.

They were eventually caught a year later, after bouncing from motel to motel across America.

Their undoing? Strangis ordered a Domino's Pizza with his real name and credit card. 

The pair were found guilty of numerous crimes - and their fascinating tale of deception plays out in the new Netflix docuseries Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.

The four-parter, from the executive producer of Tiger King and director of Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, is tipped to be bigger than The Tinder Swindler.

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Melngailis ran Pure Food & Wine, an emerging celebrity hotspot in Manhattan’s overcrowded sea of upscale restaurants.

It was a favourite of stars like Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Chelsea Clinton and American footballer Tom Brady.