34-year-old Pei Chung from Taiwan drew attention last year for repeatedly ‘dining and dashing’ at upscale restaurants in Brooklyn, New York. On March 5, a judge ruled to dismiss five charges of theft of services against her, citing her poor mental health and inability to stand trial.
According to the Daily Mail, Pei Chung was already ‘notorious’ in Brooklyn’s dining scene. She was known for showing up at high-end restaurants wearing designer clothes, enjoying a meal, then refusing to pay, and even making the outrageous offer to ‘pay with her body’.
Pei Chung was accused of leaving hefty unpaid bills at at least 11 restaurants within about a month, and was arrested in November last year. She has been arrested roughly ten times for ‘dining and dashing’, and repeatedly faced theft of services charges.
This February, while held at New York’s Rikers Island jail, Pei Chung was forcibly subjected to a mental health assessment. At the March 5th hearing, she refused to enter the courtroom, so the proceedings continued in her absence.
In fact, just last month during a court session, Pei Chung repeatedly interrupted the judge, deliberately lowered her voice, and avoided the microphone, making it hard for those present to hear her words. Presiding judge Reynolds sternly rebuked her in court: "Excuse me! When I’m speaking, you don’t speak—do you understand?”
When Pei Chung again muttered under her breath, the judge told her once more, “Go talk to your lawyer.”
Although the five charges were dismissed, Pei Chung will not be released as a result. She will continue to be held due to her immigration status and mental health condition. Public defender Delechas revealed, “They are monitoring her condition. Staff have tried to interact with her, but she resists contact, refuses to communicate with others, and even refuses to leave her cell.” Reportedly, Pei Chung will be transferred to a psychiatric care facility.
In addition to restaurant bills, Pei Chung also owed more than $40,000 in rent at a luxury apartment on Kent Avenue. While in jail, the court ruled she had to vacate the apartment, and she was officially evicted.
Pei Chung is also suspected of overstaying her student visa. She came to the U.S. from Taiwan in 2019 on a student visa with a scholarship to attend Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, but it is unclear if she was authorized to work legally in the United States.