‘Bad Vegan’ star Sarma Melngailis slams Netflix for ‘mocking psychological abuse’

nypost.com:

“Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.,” which premiered earlier this month.Melngailis ran vegan hot spot Pure Food and Wine in Manhattan before she went on the run with her then-spouse in 2015 after they stole nearly $2 million from investors and staff.The couple was arrested the following year, with Melngailis, 49, subsequently sentenced to four months in prison.She filed for divorce from Strangis, 41, in 2018, claiming he abused her and coerced her into the crimes.The glamorous blond — who has been dubbed the “vegan Bernie Madoff” — participated in the new Netflix documentary, but she clearly isn’t happy with the finished product, taking to Instagram to slam the streamer in a meaty post on Tuesday.A post shared by Sarma Melngailis (@sarmamelngailis)“There are more important things going on in the world than the misrepresentation of *my* story, but I’ll continue to speak out in objection to the mocking of psychological abuse by Netflix and the misportrayal of these kinds of stories in general,” Melngailis fumed.She shared two photos — one of a Netflix promo showing her as a “glamorous villain,” and the other, a selfie showing her with mascara smudged across her face. “Me looking like a glamorized villain eating a cash salad is not me,” she declared. “It may help Netflix sensationalize the story, but at my expense, and at the expense of a greater understanding of the larger issue including #coercivecontrol, #narcisssisticabuse, #cultmindcontrol and more.”Melngailis also linked to a letter on her personal blog, which she alleges she wrote to Strangis in 2016, following their arrest for fraud.