A self-styled influencer may flaunt luxury designer fashion online, but in real life she’s become known for eating at New York City’s trendiest restaurants and refusing to pay the bill. Over the past month, 34-year-old Pei Chung has been arrested several times in what police describe as a bold dine-and-dash spree.
According to the NYPD, Chung has been taken into custody at least six times after allegedly skipping out on tabs or attempting to pay with random items pulled from her Louis Vuitton bag. Despite her growing arrest record, she remains free on bond. Even after two additional arrests this past weekend, a Brooklyn Criminal Court judge allowed Chung to leave custody on supervised release, though prosecutors had asked that she be held on theft-of-service charges.
On Monday, just a day after her court appearance, staff at 12 Chairs Cafe said Chung ate extensively at the restaurant but they ultimately chose not to report the incident. Later that week, Chung posted photos on social media appearing to show a meal worth nearly $70 at Hole in the Wall. However, a staff member told The Washington Times the restaurant’s manager asked her to leave after recognizing her from the news—and they don’t know where the photos came from.
Chung was arrested again Saturday when she couldn’t pay a $100 bill at the Thai restaurant Sea. Employees told WNBC that all of her credit cards were declined before police escorted her out in handcuffs.
Her alleged dining scheme dates back at least to October, when she was charged after failing to pay a $150 tab at Peter Luger Steak House. Staff members said she openly admitted she didn’t have money and then attempted to barter by offering kitchen shears from her purse before officers took her into custody.
Online, however, Chung appears far from financially troubled. Her Instagram features images of Prada heels, Cartier jewelry, and Hermès accessories. In one October post, she insists her luxury items were purchased directly from brand boutiques and paid with New York City sales tax.
But her LinkedIn profile paints a different picture: it shows she hasn’t held a job since March 2023, when she finished an eight-month contract as a web designer for JPMorgan Chase. She now describes herself as “semi-retired.”
Chung is currently represented by a public defender and is scheduled to return to court in December.
