Glam dine & dashing fake influencer Pei Chung JAILED after ‘conning at least 8 posh eateries into dishing out free food’

A WANNABE influencer known for dine-dashing from some of New York’s best eateries has been arrested after offering sex and Instagram reviews to get out of paying her bills.

Police had been after Pei Chung, 34, following at least 10 reports of her allegedly scamming restaurants out of free meals.

The law caught up with the accused serial dine-dasher when she was allegedly caught red-handed on Friday, after ordering $149 (£113.50) in food from Mole Mexican Bar and Grill in Williamsburg, before refusing to pay the bill.

She was arraigned on a theft-of-services charge on Saturday, following what would be her eighth arrest over similar accusations, New York Post reported.

Chung has been arrested and charged seven times for the same theft-of-services offence.

Chung has been arrested and charged seven times for the same theft-of-services charge.

One of her alleged hit-spots included Michelin-starred Williamsburg brasserie Francie, according to cops.

Francie owner, John Winterman, said Chung had recently fronted up to attempt a third dine-dash, however, was turned away from the restaurant after staff wised up to her scam.

Chung’s Instagram following has increased since her antics had been publicly exposed.

“It’s only in New York City where someone like this becomes a folk hero,’’ Winterman said, fed-up with the online creator’s alleged thievery.

“I’m glad that justice is being served.”

The wannabe influencer is also facing eviction from her $3,350-a-month (£2,552) Brooklyn apartment, after not paying rent for more than two years.

Police allege she stopped paying rent on the flat in 2023, before her lease ended in August the following year.

She still resides in the home, owing more than $40,000 (£30,481) in unpaid rent.

She has since been ordered to vacate the property – owned by disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer – by December 1.

Chung moved into the flat in July 2021, and has filmed content in the home wearing skimpy lingerie and high-priced clothing from luxury brands including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Burberry.

She now resides at Rikers Island after being placed on remand following her attempted food fraud on Friday.

A judge set her bail at $1,500 (£1,142) cash for her dine and dash attempts, and added $1,500 for two further cases where she had failed to appear, causing bench warrants to be issued.

Her bail now totals $4,500 (£3,428), with more of her alleged restaurant victims glad to see her eat humble pie.

“I’m glad there’s some sort of recognition being brought to the matter,” said a manager at the famed steak house Peter Luger.

“She was getting away with it. Way too often.

“And it’s just not right.”

The Taiwanese accused Michelin-star-loving menace had not posted bail as of Monday, according to court records.

On Instagramher bio boasts that she’s “99 lb No plastic surgery,’’ however Rikers records have revealed she is 5’4 and 100lbs.

Her social media platform flashed her fake luxury lifestyle, where she flaunted Prada heelsLouis Vuitton handbags and Hermes belts alongside reviews about the pricey dishes, linking to a mid-tier food blog.

She would often bring her own lighting equipment and camera to record herself as a supposed influencer to eat at the expensive outlets.

Her string of alleged crimes began in October, when restaurants including Francie, Lavender Lake, Motorino and Peter Luger reported her for posing as a food influencer before allegedly running out on the bills.

At Francie, she feasted on $15 (£11) foie gras, $32 (£24) carpaccio, $28 (£20) bucatini, $52 (£39) lamb, and $19 (£14) hot chocolate mousse, police allege.

She came back for a second round on November 7.

“I don’t think entitlement is a strong enough word,” Winterman said.

“The clear proof of this was she kept going back to the same restaurants over and over.

“She already dined and dashed and refused to pay — she came back a third time, and I had to call the police.”

Arriving to the eateries glammed up and flashing her designer items, she did anything but lay low.

In November, she ate at Motorino Pizza, donning an estimated $10,000 (£7,600) outfit, including a Louis Vuitton scarf, an Hermes bag and expensive shoes, according to restaurant owner Mathieu Palombino.

Dining for more than four hours, she gorged on two whole pizzas, two lattes, two appetizers and tea, Palombino said.

When her American Express card declined at the register, she propositioned the staff member, saying “I’ll make a nice post for you if you give me the meal for free”.

Palombino said he had said “No way” when alerted by the worker.

He doubled down, saying he would never invite Chung back to his establishment.

“No, that’s just bulls–t,” he said.

“This whole thing by her is completely staged.

“It’s one thing to need food if you are poor, but she ran this elaborate scam for what? No, we don’t need her business,” he added.

Her offers became more outrageous, when she allegedly offered sex for a free meal at Peter Luger.

The manager said her growing infamy was concerning, worried that copycat serial dine-and-dashers would start popping up.

“It’s very unfortunate — it’s difficult, it’s a struggle for everyone,” they said.

Her arrest comes after she ripped off Italian restaurant Misi and Sea Thai on back-to-back days earlier this month, police allege.

From fine-dining to Rikers Island, Chung’s diet is facing a strong change in pace.

The jail’s latest menus features selections including “Pizza Pockets’’ with sides of “steamed white cabbage, cucumber salad and chilled peaches.’’

On the home front, Chung has not made herself any friends of fans among her neighbours.

Neighbours said the wannabe influencer would regularly disrupt the building community with late-night screaming fits, door-pounding, alleged acts of vandalism and bizarre outbursts.

Her “disruptive and unnerving presence” has drawn police attention to her door on numerous occasions, according to her neighbours.

One of her neighbours – identified as Will – spoke to the Daily Mail, saying she had most kept to herself when she first arrived, but that her behaviour had taken a drastic downturn by winter 2022.

Neighbours who were once friendly with Chung began to withdraw from her, saying “something was off”.

They told the Daily Mail that Chung would regularly have late-night screaming fits, and would pound the doors.

The Williamsburg development that housed Chung – a trio of towers at 416 Kent Avenue – has a total of 857 apartments overlooking the Brooklyn waterfront.

The flats began taking in tenants in 2018, according to Curbed.

The building was recently valued at more than $650 million (£495.3 million).

Chung is set to appear in court on December 3, to face her theft of services charges – just days after her scheduled eviction.