Just when it seemed like it could not possibly get any worse for entrepreneur and Fyre Festival “organizer” Billy McFarland, it seems as though the pit he had dug for himself was deeper than previously imagined. Farland, who had previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud in March, which cost over 80 investors a total of $26 million, was arrested once again on Tuesday.
While he was out on bail and was awaiting sentencing on the fraud charges related to the failed Fyre Festival, which would have put him behind bars between 8 and 10 years, Farland was reportedly running a fraudulent ticket-selling scam separate from the original debacle.
According to federal prosecutors, the scheme to sell tickets to exclusive events, such as the 2018 Grammy Awards, Met Gala, Super Bowl LII, and even a private dinner with LeBron James, was a fraud from the start, and specifically targeted people who had previously fallen for the Fyre Festival.
McFarland reportedly made $100,000 USD by selling these fake tickets to about fifteen people, and according to a judge in Manhattan, McFarland would likely face an additional two years or so in prison if he is convicted in the new case. In addition, if he is freed on bail for the Fyre Festival case, McFarland will face a $1 million bail on the new charges.
To those unaware, the Fyre Festival incident pertains a music “festival,” which was supposed to be organized by McFarland, but failed to live up to the ultra-luxurious promotion. Before it was exposed as a fraud, it was touted as “the cultural experience of the decade” on social media by the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and other models and celebrities.
UPDATE: Since his recent arrest, his bail has been revoked my Manhattan federal judge Naomi Reice Buchwald, who called McFarland a flight risk, citing the “new charges combined with the forthcoming sentencing.” His sentencing has also been delayed to July 26, instead of later this week as was previously scheduled.
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