(Gothamist) - Last year, unionized workers at high-price raw vegan restaurant Pure Food and Wine struggled through unpaid wages (more than once), an owner that went AWOL, and the failure of their attempt to start a newer, fairer, employee-owned business.

As Pure fell into crisis, its owner, Sarma Melngailis, disconnected her phone and did not answer repeated requests for comment. "Knowing her, I know she must be miserable and fighting like mad to do whatever she has to," Melngailis's father, John, previously told Gothamist.

Today, Melngailis is in jail, living out what she described to the Post as, "[The worst nightmare you can think of." In an extensive interview, the former restauranteur spoke of plans to set things right: "When I come out, I will find something to do and pay it back."

Melngailis and her partner, Anthony Strangis had been on the lam for 10 months for allegedly embezzling almost $2 million from Pure Wine and Food until they were arrested last week at a Sevierville, Tenn. hotel when police tracked them down through a Domino's delivery order. Melngailis has attested that Strangis was the one behind the delivery order, along with many of her other problems; “Things were going well when I was single,” she told the tabloid.

Serving as a chronicle of two people with astonishing penchants for self-sabotage, the Post's story cites Strangis's struggles with gambling and bullying business practices, as well as one of Melngailis' ex-boyfriends who claims she assaulted him with phones, stools, and grapefruits. The ex-restauranteur has reportedly been denied an all-vegan diet by Rikers, where she and Strangis currently sit, awaiting trial. "She says she makes do with peanut butter sandwiches, bananas, apples, and fresh-sliced cucumber," the tabloid reports.