Brooklyn resident Pei Chung, 34, has been arrested five times since late October on charges of dining at upscale restaurants such as Peter Luger AND France in Williamsburg without paying, according to police and law enforcement sources.
Chung earned her nickname for showing off designer Prada dresses, Louis Vuitton bags and Hermès belts while entering high-end restaurants. He often carried a camera and lighting equipment with him, uploading glamorous photos of Michelin-starred lamb to France or oven roasted beef Peter Luger to his Instagram, which boasts over 13,000 followers. It seemed to many that she had been invited by the restaurants to promote them.
TO Meadowsweetone of his alleged targets, a staff member noted: “She looked sophisticated, ordered hundreds of dollars worth of food, didn’t pay, and posted as if she were a hired influencer.”
Chung allegedly even offered to do so “pay with love” TO Peter Luger when his card was declined, according to insiders.
On October 22nd he had dinner at Franceordering $188 worth of foie gras, carpaccio, bucatini, lamb and hot chocolate mousse. Restaurant owner John Winterman recalled Chung propositioning him to “pay” posting photos and blogging, but he refused, explaining that no such agreement had been made. When his card failed, he claimed to be “waiting for a family transfer.”
She returned several times without repaying her debt and was finally arrested on November 7 at Franceafter again ordering $83.83 worth of food and refusing to pay. The police arrived and detained her at the bar, recalling Winterman, “The officers saw her and immediately said, ‘Yes, we know her.’”
The day before, on Nov. 6, Chung allegedly racked up a bill of $97 Lavender Lakeordering cocktails priced at $16 each, then fled without paying. On October 27th he had dinner at Peter Lugereating a $146 dinner and left without paying.
On November 11 he visited Pizza Scooterwho had accumulated a $135 bill, once again refused to pay and was arrested on the spot for theft of services.
Despite these incidents, Chung’s blog portrays her as a legitimate food reviewer. He writes poetic reviews such as: “Each slice of rosy meat beneath its charred crust is in balance perfected through decades of fire and tenderness.”
A Peter Luger the manager recounted how Chung once disappeared for 45 minutes during checkout, only to be found hiding in the bathroom. When confronted, she allegedly suggested she could “pay another way without cash.”
“We called the police immediately. Her hands were so small that the officers had to stick their fingers in to escort her out,” – added the director.
Chung’s case has sparked widespread discussion about influencer culture, deception and the consequences of using the power of social media as a cover for fraud.
Sources: Znews
