Pei-Yun Chung, an influencer and food blogger with over 26,000 followers on Instagram, remains detained at Rikers Island after being arrested for allegedly dining at high-profile restaurants in New York and refusing to pay the bill.
Chung would have offered on several occasions to promote the establishments on his social media as a form of compensation, a tactic that did not avoid his recent imprisonment nor the indignation of the affected owners.
The influencer presented herself at renowned restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan, where she documented her visits with photographs and videos, wearing luxury clothing and showcasing a sophisticated lifestyle.
Her Instagram account, which stopped updating on October 23, showcased reviews of exclusive dishes and accessories from brands like Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès. In addition to her activity on social media, she maintained a blog where she published gastronomic reviews.
The influencer’s modus operandi consisted of going to renowned restaurants, ordering expensive dishes, and, upon leaving, refusing to pay the bill. On occasion, she proposed to employees to make posts on her social media in exchange for the food. Among the affected establishments are Francie, Peter Luger, Motorino, Misi, Sea Thai, and 12 Chairs Cafe.
In France, for example, she consumed foie gras, carpaccio, bucatini, lamb, and hot chocolate mousse in a single visit, and returned on at least two more occasions. At Motorino, owner Mathieu Palombino recounted that the influencer stayed for four hours, ordered several dishes, and, after her credit card was declined, offered to promote the restaurant on Instagram as a form of payment.
The reaction of the owners and managers of the affected restaurants was one of frustration and relief following Chung’s arrest. John Winterman, owner of Francie, expressed: “I’m glad justice is being served.” The manager of Peter Luger, another of the affected establishments, noted: “She was getting away with it. Too many times. And that’s just not right.” Palombino, from Motorino, detailed that the influencer arrived dressed in garments whose value he estimated at more than 10 thousand dollars and that she tried to negotiate free food in exchange for a post on social media.
The authorities linked the influencer to a series of incidents that began on October 22 and extended until the end of November. Her most recent arrest occurred on November 22 at Mole Mexican Bar & Grill, where she refused to pay a USD 149 bill. Previously, she had been accused of not paying USD 100 bills at Misi and USD 123 at Sea Thai.
