from the scene, as the men blocked the entrance, staff could be heard saying the shop was open, even as another woman told curious passersby, “You don’t want to come here, it’s a situation.”
While Mendel’s did not name Ms. Schrage, she was easily identifiable in videos posted online. With little information available, people soon took to social media with their own theories, many accusing Ms. Schrage of trying to shut down a competitor for her Schragels Bagels business.aggressive harassment by hired thugs
In mid-2021, she wanted to expand her business from just bagels and open a deli similar to those run by her grandparents. She decided to name it after her father, Michael Mendel Schrage. By September, it was clear the estimate for setup costs was too low, and Mr. Wilson and Mr. Watt suggested putting more money into the business, for a total of HK$1.8-million. In a statement issued after the scandal broke out, Ms. Schrage said when she asked for evidence to justify the increase, she was told “the accounts are unavailable and the supporting documents ‘… were thrown away.’”
Mendel’s was finally able to open in mid-April, but toward the end of that month, Ms. Schrage allegedly transferred the total balance in the company’s bank account to a third party for “safe keeping,” and then convened a meeting without Mr. Watt to remove him as the only other director.Ms. Schrage escalated in turn.