Popular San Diego Chef Exposed as Alleged Fugitive on the Run for 14 Years — After Cops Arrest Him for Living Under Fake Identity
Brian Anthony Williams was accused of staging a kidnapping.
Oct. 14 2026, Published 1:20 p.m. ET
Police allege that a popular San Diego chef is a fugitive who has been on the run for 14 years, RadarOnline.com can report.
Brian Anthony Williams, who has been living as "Troy Williams," lived in Iowa in 2012, where he’ll be extradited to. Williams has been wanted by Iowa U.S. Marshals for his role in a staged kidnapping.
A Staged Kidnapping
Brian Anthony Williams allegedly conspired to have himself and his girlfriend kidnapped.
Per reports, in late 2012, "Troy" allegedly conspired with three men to kidnap himself and his then-girlfriend so he could break up with her; he even took a bullet amid the ordeal.
Sometime after the act, the men went to his ex’s new partner's house and allegedly started a fire.
For his actions, Williams was charged with first-degree arson, first-degree kidnapping, conspiracy to commit a felony, and assault causing serious injury.
But while the case was ongoing, he fled Iowa.
Brian Anthony William Builds a New Life for Himself
Williams made his way to California and started a new life.
Williams ended up in San Diego, California.
He landed a job at Mission Beach’s Miss B’s Coconut Club, where he eventually became head chef. He held the role for over a decade.
Busted by the Media?
Williams became a head chef, and ene gave interviews.
During this time, he appeared on television and gave interviews with several media outlets.
Only eight months ago, Williams gave an interview discussing his difficult childhood, where he experienced poverty and racism, and how he made his way out.
"Togetherness is how we get better," he shared at the time. "Kindness does win." However, someone eventually recognized him from the Iowa case and alerted authorities.
Colleagues in Shock
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Williams' coworkers were shocked by his crime.
But most folks in San Diego did not know about Williams' past, much less his fake identity, and they were in shock. No one more than his coworkers, who sat in the front row for Williams' arrest – the fugitive was arrested right outside Miss B's.
"This is crazy, we've been through it. I’ve been here 10-and-a-half years; he's been here 10-and-a-half years. He's been running that kitchen for about eight or nine, since our first chef left and he took it over. We've been through Covid. I was his roommate for a while, and he's not even Troy," Miss B's general manager, Eddie Jurado, told NBC.
Jurado detailed how a friend phoned him and told him to look up "Troy's" real name.
When he did, he found a 2012 mugshot of his former friend and colleague, whom he didn't know as well as he thought he did.
