Convicted fraudster Billy McFarland, now a free man, has announced a return of the notorious music event, “Frye Festival”, in which he over promised and under delivered with attendees.
Taking to Twitter recently, he wrote,“🔥 Fyre Festival II is finally happening. Tell me why you should be invited.”
🔥 Fyre Festival II is finally happening.
— Billy McFarland (@pyrtbilly) April 10, 2023
Tell me why you should be invited.
McFarland made headlines in 2017 when he sold tickets between $1 500 and $50 000 to festival-goers to attend the inaugural event on the island of Grand Exuma in the Bahamas.
When festival-goers got to the destination they were greeted with half-built tents instead of the promised luxury accommodation, insufficient food instead of gourmet food and a dearth of performers.
The festival was quickly cancelled and guests at the event were left stranded at various airports in the US and the Caribbean.
In 2018, McFarland pleaded guilty to defrauding investors and running a fraudulent ticketing scam and was sentenced to six years in federal prison.
He was fined $26 million for his role in the scam. He also vowed to find a way to pay the investors back.
In 2022, he was released after serving four years and is now trying to keep his word.
After reading the tweet, one user tweeted back, “tell me why you shouldn't be in jail.”
tell me why you shouldn't be in jail
— Snookis Bumpit™ (@icespicestanact) April 11, 2023
McFarland responded: “It's in the best interest of those I owe for me to be working. people aren't getting paid back if i sit on the couch and watch tv. and because i served my time.”
it's in the best interest of those I owe for me to be working. people aren't getting paid back if i sit on the couch and watch tv.
— Billy McFarland (@pyrtbilly) April 11, 2023
and because i served my time.
Dubbed as a con-man by “Variety”, the publication shared that a third documentary is planned for McFarland about his putative comeback post-prison titled, “After the Fyre.”
Previously, the entrepreneur’s misadventures with the disastrous “Fyre Festival” were recounted in two documentaries, “Fyre Fraud” on Hulu and “Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened” on Netflix.
Back to his Twitter post, tweeps were not afraid to let Mcfarland know exactly how they feel.
If you a decent person now if this is really happening you should give a % to the people on the island who lost so much money.
— Chad Richardson (.eth) (@chadofalltrades) April 10, 2023
Perhaps we should instead beg not to attend?
— Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) April 11, 2023
LMAO anyone who buys a ticket this time deserves what they get. The online schadenfreude will be epic
— Kelly Ellis (@justkelly_ok) April 10, 2023
Get back in prison.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) April 10, 2023