MIAMI FLORIDA: A Florida woman is suing a French bakery for defamation after they called her a “cake thief” and a “Karen” on posters that they displayed in their stores.
In a report by Miami New Times, Margarita Sciapin ordered a mocha cake from Paris Morning Bakery for $29 in Boca Raton in January 2023 but was given the wrong cake by the cashier.
Who is Margarita Sciapin?
Sciapin, who is a jewellery designer and vegan promoting balanced eating on social media, did not want to get a refund because she was afraid of being charged twice.
So she decided to keep the original cake and told the cashier “not to worry”. However, the bakery claims that she took the cake and left without paying, even though they had already refunded her money.
The bakery then put up posters of Sciapin’s picture and personal information, taken from her social media accounts, in their stores with the words “cake thief” and “Karen”.
The posters also explained their version of events and accused Sciapin of being impatient and rude. Sciapin says the posters caused her emotional distress and anxiety, leading her to be hospitalized for shortness of breath and rapid heart rate.
The Bakey also called her a 'Karen'
"This Karen thief stole a cake from us at 5 pm on January 22, 2023," the poster read. "When an employee tried to explain that our refunds don't show up in statements immediately, she got angry, refused to believe the employee, took the cake, and left while her cake was already refunded.
"She was very impatient when the employee was trying to figure out how to do a refund receipt, instead of waiting, she ran off with the cake."
She also says her 12-year-old daughter was taunted at school because of the posters. She is suing the bakery for more than $50,000 in damages for defamation and invasion of privacy.
Sciapin is a jewellery designer who runs a YouTube channel where she showcases her creations and gives tips on buying gemstones and jewellery. She describes herself as “plant-based, vegetarian on a path of balanced eating” on her Instagram account, where she posts pictures of her food and family.
Paris Mornings Bakery claims Sciapin was refunded which she didn't see
The Paris Mornings Bakery later removed the posters but Sciapin posters were distributed. "They actually printed a bunch of different themes of her and then gave it to our stores in case she comes back. We have memorabilia of it in our kitchen," an employer told the publication.
The manager of the bakery said, "Sciapin didn't see the refund on her credit card and said she was just going to take the cake.
"If she would have waited for two minutes for the employee to text me, to figure out how to print a refund receipt, she would have gotten it. But she was rushing the employee and not being patient, not being very understanding."
