Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation Sarma Melngailis - Part 1: Bad Vegan, Meeting Mr. Fox, and Early Red Flags
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Oct 22, 2025 Sarma Melngailis, author and former owner of the acclaimed vegan restaurant Pure Food and Wine, shares her captivating journey from finance to culinary fame. She recounts her fateful meeting with the enigmatic Mr. Fox on Twitter, revealing the initial red flags she overlooked. Sarma delves into the subtle manipulation tactics he employed, from financial demands disguised as emergencies to the psychological grip of constant communication. Listeners will be intrigued by her experiences of vulnerability, intuition, and the staggering toll it all took on her life.
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Building a Beloved Vegan Brand
- Sarma built Pure Food and Wine and the One Lucky Duck brand, creating a warm, successful raw-vegan restaurant with many non-vegan regulars.
- She populated it with the right team and used the business to express her purpose and expand into retail products.
How A Twitter Friendship Began
- Sarma met 'Mr. Fox' on Twitter after he interacted with Alec Baldwin and moved into DMs and Words With Friends.
- Their online rapport escalated into anticipation, mystery, and eventual in-person meetings despite many unknowns.
Mystery Fuels Attachment Online
- Mystery and unanswered questions let people fill gaps with fantasies, strengthening attachment.
- Sarma notes that online relationships lack the pheromones and in-person cues that reveal true character.