Both Hulu and Netflix released documentaries about the disastrous Fyre Festival in the same week, in which they expose the fraud, disappointment, and chaos that went down with the event. And while he bore the brunt of the blame, co-founder Billy McFarland is also responsible for the fiasco. William Z. McFarland (born December 11, 1991) is an American convicted fraudster who co-founded the ill-fated Fyre Festival.He defrauded investors of $27.4 million by marketing and selling tickets to the festival and other events. Convicted fraudster Billy McFarland is asking for donations for a new project he’s started from his prison cell — but this time, he swears it’s legit. Pictures and videos of the failed event went viral. According to the Hulu documentary, Fyre Fraud, McFarland is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in federal prison. “He’s not dying, I don’t think,” said Jebriel, who asked to withhold his last name for privacy reasons. He claims that he had rented lavish homes and cars to accommodate the guests, but someone lost the box which contained the keys to the houses. Seemingly not content with the disaster of 2017's now infamous Fyre Festival, organiser Billy McFarland has ruffled some feathers by hinting at plans for a second edition. Project-315, launched April 3, claims to help connect prisoners with their families in these socially distant times spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. Itâs safe to say, that the next time social media influencers tout an âimpossibleâ event, people will be a little more skeptical. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Elkton Federal Correctional Institution in Lisbon, Ohio. Convicted Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland exclusively tells The Post he is starting a new endeavor from inside prison: crowd-funding money for … 2021 Bustle Digital Group. Sitemap But justice may not be served for investors and festival goers, as RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal McFarland is getting out of prison early. On Thursday, an Elkton inmate named Jebriel, whom McFarland’s referred to as his “right hand man,” called The Post as McFarland was being taken to quarantine. Fyre Fraud is available to stream on Hulu and Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened is currently streaming on Netflix. The Orange County, New York, facility offers bocce ball, horseshoes, handball and tennis courts, a baseball field, and cardio equipment. “Billy” McFarland is an American convicted fraudster and former entrepreneur, who co-founded the ill-fated Fyre Festival.He defrauded investors of $27.4 million by marketing and selling tickets to the festival and other events. “Being put in isolation in a big room with 160 other people who have it at this jail.”. He is currently serving a six-year sentence at FCI Elkton in Ohio, a facility has been decimated by COVID-19 with 23 inmates in the hospital, … Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Your Ad Choices He briefly attended Bucknell University (less than one year) in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he studied computer engineeringfor a period of less than nine months. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland, now imprisoned in Ohio, told The Post he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Editorâs note: Bustle Digital Group acquired Mic in late 2018. In the Hulu documentary, Fyre Fraud, McFarland says that the event failed due to poor planning. “It feels like we’re sitting ducks in here. ... Trending Now. Billy McFarland net worth: Billy McFarland is an American convicted felon and former CEO who has a net worth of -$5 million. Billy McFarland talking to attendees at the festival. All rights reserved. Billy McFarland (right) - with the backing of rapper Ja Rule - was the mastermind of Fyre Festival Netflix Hailey Baldwin (now Bieber) promoted the festival on her Instagram account He’s currently incarcerated at Elkton prison in Ohio, where at least 60 … Career, Awards & Nominations: TV Guide | YouTube. The didnât get the lavish accommodations they were promised, and were served sliced bread and cheese instead of the gourmet meals they were expecting. When ticket holders arrived on the island, they found the beaches lined with FEMA tents, stacks of wet mattresses, and no reliable infrastructure, transportation, or supplies. McFarland also insists that his legal woes had nothing to do with the festival itself. Federal prosecutors don’t want a judge to free Fyre Festival scammer Billy McFarland from prison due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Tested positive for COVID today,” McFarland told a Post reporter on Thursday night. The outlet also reported that McFarland ran another company while on bail, which sold fake tickets to popular fashion, sports, and music events â defrauding nearly 30 victims of $150,000 â leading him to plead guilty to two more counts of fraud in July. Now he’s sending out smoke signals. In April 2017, hundreds of people flew into the remote Bahamian island of Great Exumas for what thought would be a lavish Coachella-like festival, with access to luxury accommodations, gourmet cuisine, A-list performances, and big name celebrities. He is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution, Otisville. Privacy Notice In 2013, McFarland founded Magnises, a company that marketed an invitation-only charge card, using $1.5 million of investor funding. He was sentenced to six years in prison on October 11, 2018. Thanks for contacting us. Market Watch reported that as of Jan. 15, no ticket holders were refunded, but some were able to get their money back by disputing credit card charges. … In an exclusive Post interview in early April, the Short Hills, NJ, native said he wasn’t scared of catching the deadly coronavirus. Tickets to the event cost thousands of dollars, and in a marketing campaign featuring famous models like Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin, the festival was touted as âan immersive music festivalâ with âthe best in food, art, music, and adventure on the boundaries of the impossible.â. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Your California Privacy Rights Huluâs Fyre Fraud and Netflixâs Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened detail entrepreneur Billy McFarland's involvement with the epic failure, but after hearing all the jaw-dropping details, viewers are wondering where Billy McFarland is now. 39,498, © 2021 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved McFarland, 28, who’s serving a six-year sentence for fraud, was denied compassionate release in April from the Elkton Federal Correctional Institution in Lisbon, Ohio. 79,259, This story has been shared 52,034 times. The festival turned out to be more "impossible" than people expected. This state may have its own highly contagious homegrown COVID strain, Bridget Moynahan reacts to ex Tom Brady clinching Super Bowl 2021 berth. The Orange County, New York, facility offers bocce ball, horseshoes, handball and tennis courts, a baseball field, and cardio equipment. “I’m feeling fine, but it’s scary. This story has been shared 85,927 times. Today, he is incarcerated at the Otisville Federal Correctional Facility in New York. Most of his entrepreneurial endeavors are on the idea of networking. Fyre Festival was a fraudulent luxury music festival founded by Billy McFarland, CEO of Fyre Media Inc, and rapper Ja Rule.It was created with the intent of promoting the company's Fyre app for booking music talent. But that’s not where the story ends for McFarland. Now he’s sending out smoke signals. But according to the New York Times, McFarland was indicted for defrauding investors to promote the Fyre Festival, and he pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in March of 2018. As a result of his actions McFarland was sentenced to six years in federal prison, and he is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisvile, New York. Billy McFarland • BILLY McFARLAND , now 27, resides in the Federal Correctional Institution at Otisville, a medium-security penitentiary known for housing white collar criminals. As of 2019, Billy McFarland’s net worth is approximately $-5 Million dol… Billy McFarland, founder of Fyre, is serving a six-year jail term but Ja Rule was not arrested or charged in connection with the fraud. His parents are real estate developers.At the age of 13, he founded his first company, an online outsourcing business that matched clients with designers. Back in October, the 26-year-old was sentenced by a Manhattan federal judge on charges of defrauding investors and buyers of nearly $26 million dollars, reported NBC News, and he is now serving his time at the Otisville Federal Correctional Institution in New York. Now Billy McFarland is claiming he’s a changed man after spending time behind bars. We've received your submission. Representatives for Billy McFarland did not immediately respond to Romper's request for comment. 52,034, This story has been shared 39,498 times. In a statement he released from prison, he said, “I am incredibly sorry for my collective actions and will right the wrongs I have delivered to my family, friends, partners, associates and, you, the general public. The festival was scheduled to take place on April 28–30 and May 5–7, 2017, on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma.. There are a lot of older guys here and not so healthy,” he said. Billy McFarland • BILLY McFARLAND , now 27, resides in the Federal Correctional Institution at Otisville, a medium-security penitentiary known for housing white collar criminals. We Now Know How Much Billy McFarland And Ja Rule Will Have To Pay Back After Fyre Festival Billy McFarland and Ja Rule owe a ton of money for the disaster that was Fyre Festival. âThe legal situation does not involve any aspects of the execution of the festival,â he says in Fyre Fraud. Both documentaries detail exactly how the Fyre Festival unfolded, and they include testimonials and videos exposing the disappointment and chaos party goers faced when they arrived at what they thought would be the vacation of a lifetime. Now, Billy McFarland, the disgraced entrepreneurial mastermind behind the massive music festival disaster, has come under scrutiny in a pair of documentaries from Netflix and Hulu. “Elderly people who are at the greatest medical risk should definitely be considered for release.”. Published February 08 2019. McFarland gained notoriety after documentaries about the botched music festival hit streaming services last year. Billy McFarland is an ambitious entrepreneur. The site in the Bahamas where the now-postponed Fyre Festival was to happen is … He is focussing on his career goals. In October, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison by a federal judge. The makeshift concierge desk at Fyre Festival. Kanye West returns to LA after Kim Kardashian split, Trump officially opens 'Office of the Former President', Four young girls arrested for murder of 15-year-old at Walmart, © 2021 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Soccer players blast $65 sandwiches that look straight out of Fyre Festival, Fyre Fest guy reveals new project from prison, swears it's no 'scam', Michael Cohen set to share a prison with 'The Situation,' Billy McFarland, Fyre Festival exposes insidious problem in tech culture, some 25 percent of inmates tested positive for COVID-19, Casino mogul, actress wife pose as motel workers to cut vaccine line. Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic. Who is Brittany Galvin, 'The Bachelor' woman accused of being an escort? charges of defrauding investors and buyers, marketing campaign featuring famous models like Bella Hadid, he pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. But later that month, McFarland’s lawyers cited a pre-existing health condition and petitioned for his release from Elkton, where some 25 percent of inmates tested positive for COVID-19, and the National Guard was sent to help control the outbreak. McFarland has recently been in touch with freelance editor Josh Raab about getting his memoirs published, which he's been writing from prison while he serves a six-year sentence for fraud-related charges. Hayley Hynes. It looks like McFarland is now accepting some of the responsibility for the fiasco. Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland, now imprisoned in Ohio, told The Post he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The white woman who claimed to be African-American in 2015,... Attendees arriving at the tents at Fyre Festival in the Bahamas. However, in light of the coronavirus crisis, McFarland is requesting he be released from prison early. William Z. Mic is a co-producer on Fyre Fraud. In an interview with People he apologized for his actions, and says he hopes to âmake up for some of this harm through work and actions that society finds respectable.â While McFarland serves time in prison, Fyre Festival attendees still havenât been refunded for their expenses. McFarland is not married yet. They wait until they’re unresponsive to take people to the hospital.”, In June, the Marshall Project, which covers criminal justice, reported that “the coronavirus had arrived at the Elkton Federal Correctional Institution, where, as one prisoner put it, there were suddenly ‘people walking around looking like the living dead.'”. He now runs an app of his own creation called ICONN - a celebrity booking service, which is, um, strikingly similar to the Fyre app that he created with Billy. McFarland was born in New York City and raised in the Short Hills section of Millburn, New Jersey. … Terms of Use Convicted Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland exclusively tells The Post he is starting a new endeavor from inside pr McFarland, depicted in the films as an archetype of millenial hubris, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud to defraud investors and a second count to defraud a ticket vendor in March 2018, reports NBC News . During the trial, the prosecution alleged that he made over $100,000 through the ticket-selling service. Back in October, the 26-year-old was sentenced by a Manhattan federal judge on charges of defrauding investors and buyers of nearly $26 million dollars, reported NBC News, and he is now … Fyre Festival, however, isn’t his first shady venture. âAny payments made to vendors, team members, are not in question in terms of any legal proceedings â We didnât break the law in the execution of the festival.â. Coincidentally, his ICONN partner is MDavid Low, Fyre's former creative director, who you may remember owed $250,000 in credit card charges to American Express thanks to Billy. Updated February 08 2019 at 05:43 PM. Though he likes parties, enjoying and networking but he has had no girlfriend till now. Your California Privacy Rights The book, McFarland said, chronicles his career from the first investment in a now-shuttered start-up back in 2011 to the FBI paying him a visit days after the festival imploded. 85,927, This story has been shared 79,259 times. Hopefully, he’s getting better treatment than dry cheese sandwiches. The co-founder of failed Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland, was sentenced to six years in federal prison on wire fraud charges in Oct. 2018. According to his Federal Bureau of Prisons record, McFarland’s scheduled release date is Aug. 30, 2023. The Hulu documentary, Fyre Fraud feels like we ’ re sitting ducks in here festival Billy. 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