Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan

Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan

One-on-One Cults – How Coercive Control Made Sarma Melngailis the Bad Vegan

Dr. Steven Hassan's avatar
Dr. Steven Hassan
Aug 18, 2022
∙ Paid

If you watched the Netflix series Bad Vegan, you saw a twisted and deliberately confusing version of the story of my guest, Sarma Melngailis. Her restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, and her raw vegan brand Lucky Duck captured the hearts of healthy eaters in Manhattan. Her brands and personality were famous among major celebrities to high-profile politicians. In my professional opinion, she fell victim to an artful, designing psychopath who used one-on-one mind control. The situation blew up because of her celebrity and how much money he extracted from her while alienating her from her family. 

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Dr. Steven Hassan.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Dr. Steven Hassan · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture