Brooklyn’s dine-and-dash influencer reveals no indicators of stopping.
Contemporary off her arraignment on theft of service costs Friday — after she was arrested 5 occasions for non-payment at fashionable Williamsburg eating places — Pei “Lu” Chung was nearly instantly accused of ripping off much more eating places.
The fake influencer was arrested twice Saturday, at Sea Thai and Michelin-star Italian hotspot Misi, NYPD studies present, and given supervised launch.
And on Monday night time, Chung took to Instagram to put up pictures of a full mezze platter, lamb and coconut milk pudding from in style Israeli restaurant 12 Chairs — the place she walked out with out paying her invoice, administration claimed to The Submit.
Hermès earlier than one other alleged spree of eating and dashing. lu.pychung/Instagram
“She left and didn’t pay,” a supply near the restaurant informed The Submit, including that 12 Chairs didn’t name police.
Chung, 34, has been arrested seven occasions since late October, after skipping out on high-tally tabs at eating places like Peter Luger, Francie and Lavender Lake.
House owners and cooks informed The Submit how Chung is available in “dressed to the nines,” takes pictures of her meals, then tries to barter with social-media posts or used bank cards which can be inevitably declined.
A supervisor at Peter Luger alleged to The Submit that Chung even tried to supply a sexual favor to cowl her meal, The Submit reported Sunday.
Former buddies informed The Submit that, previous to her savory scams, Chung was an everyday on town’s glittering social scene — elegantly wearing Prada and Louis Vuitton at classical music galasand nightclubs — however disappeared a few years in the past.
Born in Taiwan, Chung says on her private web site that she studied ballet and classical piano, began taking part in the violin at age 3 and earned a 99 percentile rank on that nation’s nationwide examination. She additionally notes that she was “working a rifle at age 17.”
After incomes a grasp diploma in fantastic arts on the Nationwide College of Kaohsiung, she appears to have moved to New York round 2019 to attend Pratt College on a “full-ride advantage scholarship,” in response to her LinkedIn profile, finding out Info Expertise Design and Info Know-how.
She was often photographed with Taiwanese socialites round Manhattan in 2021, partying on the DiMenna Middle for Classical Music in Midtown in October 2021 and at Buddakan within the Meatpacking District.
Chung wore a black off-the-shoulder costume to Arte Cafe on the Higher West Facet and a bra prime to Nebula nightclub in Midtown.
A buddy who met Chung through the pandemic informed The Submit they bonded over classical music and that she was lively on the Taiwanese social circuit in NYC.
“She invited me to concert events and museums. We additionally had meals collectively a number of occasions, both alone or with buddies,” the younger man mentioned, asking to stay nameless.
“She handled me earlier than, after I invited her to a live performance. She wasn’t the form of woman that expects guys to pay. After we went out as a gaggle, she additionally paid for her portion. I don’t find out about her different precise dates although.
“She was all the time very well mannered, well-mannered, and confirmed sturdy curiosity in artwork and training. She’s a wise woman.”
However issues took a darkish flip, the buddy mentioned, when Chung all of the sudden began speaking about an “ex boyfriend.”
“She had been performing a bit unusual, so I reached out to examine in and ask if she was OK or wanted any assist. She began messaging me saying she wasn’t effectively — that her ex had come to New York, was stalking her, and that she was scared. We spoke on the telephone a couple of occasions as a result of it appeared like she wanted somebody to speak to and calm her down,” the buddy mentioned, including that Chung seemed like “a totally totally different individual” than earlier than.
“It felt like there have been two sides of her, and he or she was extraordinarily distressed … totally different individual, totally different voice, tone, persona, and mind-set. At one level, she was so frightened that she requested if I may keep along with her and fake to be her boyfriend. I informed her that if she really wanted somebody for security, I may go accompany her. However her habits grew to become more and more uncommon, so I by no means went.”
Then, the buddy mentioned, Chung disappeared.
One other supply confirmed she “went off the grid all the sudden” after December 2021.
“Lots of our buddies stopped seeing her. She doesn’t come out anymore,” mentioned the supply, who requested to withhold his title.
“We tried to see if she’s OK. We received involved. She was our buddy. We’re like, ‘Why did you cease popping out?’ She talked about it was one thing about her ex that he was monitoring her down. She was in hiding.”
After that, the supply mentioned of Chung, “she didn’t reply and he or she was gone. She unfollowed me. All of the people who I do know who as soon as knew her don’t speak to her.”
Based on Chung’s LinkedIn, she briefly labored as a contract UX (consumer expertise) designer for firms together with Chase, Comcast and Vanguard. However her final posted job was in March 2023 — and he or she lists herself as “semi retired.”
She started posting influencer-style meals pictures that 12 months — from locations like L’abeille, a French restaurant in Tribeca, and Jean-Georges.
Chung, who lives in a luxurious condominium tower in Williamsburg, additionally tags manufacturers for the garments and equipment she’s carrying: Prada, Dior, Cartier, Burberry. Earlier than her 12 Chairs jaunt, Chung posted a video of herself purchasing at Hermès in Williamsburg, the neighborhood she not often appears to depart.
“I don’t know the way she’s affording it. The stuff that she makes use of and buys, she’s flexing it and he or she desires folks to know,” the supply mentioned.
Each buddies mentioned they had been shocked by information of her dine-and-dash schemes.
However Chung’s additionally seemingly received a brand new plan up her designer sleeve.
Based on a Reddit consumer who claims to have matched with Chung on the courting app Hinge, she’s able to alternate her nightlife information for tips about fairness buying and selling.
“I knew the place to get drinks [to] match your seems,” she allegedly wrote. “In case you can alternate your information about that, I’ll take you to the place.”
Simply remember to deliver your pockets.
