Netflix users have been glued to new documentary series Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives, but after learning about celebrity restaurateur Sarma Melngailis, viewers are having a hard time sympathising with her.
The bizarre true story explains how Sarma let her restaurant success go down the drain after being conned by a man she met on Twitter named 'Shane Fox'.
'Shane' convinced Sarma that he could make her dreams come true - from expanding her food empire to making her pet dog immortal. Yes, really. Watch the trailer here:
After engrossing ourselves in other Netflix shows like Inventing Anna, Tinder Swindler, and Worst Roommate Ever, we now know every trick in the book when it comes to scam artists.
That's probably why a lot of viewers are struggling to find sympathy for Bad Vegan's Sarma Melngailis.
After finishing the four-part series, people took to Twitter to discuss Sarma's role in the con - and it looks like very few are buying her story.
One Netflix user wrote: "Just finished #badvegan. I feel so bad for those that supported her. Then the more it went on, the less I looked at Sarma as a victim. She knew what she was doing."
A second tweeted: "I don't buy Sarma's story. A Wharton grad, and savvy businesswoman raised by an MIT professor, could be made to believe that her dog could become immortal if she just gives her con of a husband all those money? How on earth did that happen? She is complicit of the con. #BadVegan."
A third viewer wrote: "Watching Bad Vegan. Having a hard time sympathizing with Sarma. Immortal dog, demons, queen of some other universe, sending millions of $ to some crazy a** lying loser. Like wtf am I watching?! And she's still super dodgy in her interviews too. Painful to watch."
While a fourth commented: "Is it just me or something doesn't add up with this woman. I don't believe in victim blaming but there were way more victims than just her and there is something unsettling about Sarma too #badvegan."
Viewers had their suspicions confirmed when the Netflix series ended with an audio recording of a phone call between Sarma and Anthony (Shane Fox's real name) after she was released from prison in 2019.
In the clip, the pair are heard giggling together as Anthony professes his love to her over and over, claiming that there's something "in the works" for them.
Reacting to the final moments of the show, one fan tweeted: "Sorry but I'm still not convinced that #Sarma is a victim. [Especially] after hearing her phone call at the end with Anthony like bruh how can you still laughing with someone who allegedly f***ed your life up?"
Another wrote: "I think we're supposed to see Sarma as a victim because she's a 'beautiful' blonde white woman. The amount of grace she so easily got throughout all of this is infuriating. However, I appreciate the ending. I see what you did there Netflix #BadVegan."
You can watch Bad Vegan now on Netflix.
Featured Image Credit: