Pei Chung, 34, a Brooklyn resident, has been arrested five times since late October for allegedly dining at upscale restaurants like Peter Luger and Francie in Williamsburg without paying, according to police and law enforcement sources.
Chung earned her nickname for flaunting designer fashion Prada outfits, Louis Vuitton bags, and Hermès belts as she entered exclusive dining spots. She often carried a camera and lighting gear, uploading glamorous photos of Michelin-starred lamb at Francie or oven-roasted beef from Peter Luger to her Instagram, which boasts over 13,000 followers. To many, it appeared as though she had been invited by the restaurants to promote them.
At Meadowsweet, one of her alleged targets, a staff member noted: “She looked polished, ordered hundreds of dollars’ worth of food, didn’t pay, and posted like she was a hired influencer.”
Chung allegedly even offered to “pay with love” at Peter Luger when her card was declined, according to insiders.
On October 22, she dined at Francie, ordering $188 worth of foie gras, carpaccio, bucatini, lamb, and hot chocolate mousse. Restaurant owner John Winterman recalled that Chung proposed to “pay” by posting photos and blogging, but he declined, explaining no such agreement had been made. When her card failed, she claimed she was “waiting for a family wire transfer.”
She returned multiple times without settling the debt and was ultimately arrested on November 7 at Francie, after again ordering $83.83 worth of food and refusing to pay. Police arrived and detained her at the bar, with Winterman recalling, “The officers saw her and immediately said, ‘Yep, we know her.’”
The day prior, November 6, Chung had allegedly run up a $97 tab at Lavender Lake, ordering cocktails priced at $16 each, then fled without paying. On October 27, she dined at Peter Luger, consuming a $146 dinner, and left without paying.
On November 11, she visited Motorino Pizza, running up a $135 bill, once again refusing 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. She writes poetic reviews like: “Each slice of rosy meat under its charred crust balance perfected through decades of fire and tenderness.”
A Peter Luger manager recounted how Chung once disappeared for 45 minutes during checkout, only to be found hiding in the restroom. When confronted, she allegedly suggested she could “pay another way without cash.”
“We called the police immediately. Her hands were so small, officers had to insert fingers into the cuffs to escort her out,” the manager added.
Chung’s case has sparked widespread discussion on influencer culture, deception, and the consequences of using social media clout as a cover for fraud.
Sources: Znews
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