To avoid prosecution for their financial crimes, Sarma Melngailis Anthony and Strangis went on the run. They escaped the long arm of the law for about 10 months, moving around from place to place. But on May 12, 2016, the authorities managed to capture the pair after Strangis ordered a pizza to their motel in his own name, per Forbes. They had been hiding out in Tennessee, not too far from Dolly Parton’s famed theme park Dollywood.
The choice of food delivered caused almost as much of a ruckus as their capture. “Sarma’s arrest — and subsequent ordering Dominos — calls into question whether she even had a fraction of the commitment the workers had, ” said Ben Dictor, a lawyer for her former employees (via Forbes). According to Vanity Fair, the pizza — along with the side order of chicken wings — was for Strangis; Melngailis had been getting vegan bowls from a popular Mexican fast-food chain.
A few days after her arrest, Melngailis was brought back to New York City to face an array of charges, including grand larceny, tax fraud, and labor law violations. Her lawyers stated that they were contemplating using a coercive control defense, according to The Cut. Coercive control is a form of domestic abuse in which one partner mentally overpowers the other and makes them obedient and compliant. Melngailis claimed that Strangis used numerous mind game tactics on her to gain control over her.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
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