Anthony Strangis
Anthony Strangis is the husband of chef, Sarma Melngailis –known as the disgraced former co-founder of Pure Food and Wine restaurant in New York City.
Anthony’s wife is grabbing major buzz after leaked emails revealed a steamy affair she and funnyman Louis C.K. had. But that’s not all, according to reports, the lovely restaurateur got also involved with her former defense lawyer.
Back in 2016, Sarma who is well-known vegan and raw-food advocate –was arrested for stealing nearly $2 million from her celeb-favorite Gramercy Park eatery, Pure Food and Wine. Her case was pickup by renowned defense lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman –who would become her lover and who managed to get her a sweet sentence, serving only four months in prison.
The Massachusetts native born September 10, 1972; had to plead guilty to charges of grand larceny, criminal tax fraud and a scheme to defraud.
At the time of her arrest, Sarma and Anthony Strangis –her husband and co-conspirator –had been running from the law for nearly a year and were fugitives. The couple was famously caught by police after, Strangis ordered a pizza to their motel room in Tennessee. The then husband and wife were both charged with scamming restaurant investors and employees out of $1 million — including unpaid wages.
In May 2017, Anthony Strangis, also known as ‘Shane Fox’ was sentenced to five years’ probation for swiping nearly $1 million from investors and employees. In total he served over a year in prison after he was initially arrested along with Sarma in May of 2016.
38-year-old Anthony Strangis was no stranger to jail at the time of his arrest. In fact, the career criminal had previously done time for grand theft and impersonating a police officer. Strangis has been described as a gambler who grew up in Sarasota. He was previously married to Stacy Avery –with whom he fathered a son, but ended stealing from her.
Sarma Melngailis filed for divorce from Strangis in May of 2018. The two had met on Twitter around 2011. In 2012 she became pregnant with his child but had an abortion. At the time, Strangis had promised to give her enough money to become independent from investors.
