Houston food influencer Adrian Verde says he spent months quietly hoping for justice after losing tens of thousands of dollars to someone he once considered a close friend. When the police and courts couldn’t deliver immediate relief, he turned to his largest platform—his Instagram page, @thehoustonfoodie, followed by more than 151,000 people—to warn the community.
Verde, who began documenting Houston’s food scene in the late 2010s, shared a detailed account Monday evening describing how he alleges he was defrauded by Zayn Feroze, a man he met at Best Regards, a popular Houston Heights bar at 222 W 11th St. Within hours of posting, Verde said he received dozens of messages from others who claimed they had similar experiences.
Verde says he met Feroze through mutual friends in 2024. What started as casual hangouts and weekend trips grew into a friendship he believed was genuine. “I saw him as a brother, a homie. I trusted him,” he said.
But court filings tell a very different story. According to a lawsuit filed January 2, 2025, Feroze repeatedly asked Verde to cover expenses such as flights, hotels, and other transactions, claiming his own bank account had been “locked” or “restricted.” Verde said he hesitated at first, but eventually agreed to help. “I thought, he’s my friend. He wouldn’t screw me over. It was just $2,500.”
Court documents state that Feroze made partial payments that created the illusion of repayment—until those credits were later reversed, leaving Verde solely responsible for the charges. The situation escalated when Feroze allegedly issued a check from a closed bank account, fully convincing Verde he had been defrauded. By the end, Verde claims he was out $43,000, and his credit score suffered significant damage.
A Harris County judge later issued a default judgment after Feroze failed to respond to the lawsuit. Verde’s attorneys then filed an amended petition adding Zayn’s father, Soheil Feroze, accusing him of helping conceal and continue the alleged scheme. Again, the defendants did not respond. The judge awarded Verde up to $170,000 in damages, interest, and attorney’s fees.
However, Verde has yet to recover any of the money. His legal team is now working to locate the father and son’s assets and request a court-appointed officer to seize them. After months of waiting, Verde filed a police report in October 2025.
Since sharing his story publicly, messages from other alleged victims have poured into his inbox. Verde said he never imagined he would fall for a scam—especially one involving someone he knew personally.
“What I want people to understand,” he said, “is that scams aren’t always phone calls from overseas. Sometimes they come from someone you believe is a friend asking for help.”
