Convicted Fraudster Billy McFarland Takes to Instagram to Insist Fyre Festival 2 Does, in Fact, Exist
In the normal course of things, if a business person who's trying to make an honest living by entertaining people finds his/herself in disagreement with some government officials, the prudent move is to side with the business person. To assume that person is simply out there hustling. Trying to provide a service to the public and help them make memories. Snapping necks and cashing checks. But instead is being thwarted by some bureaucrats who can't stand the fact that somebody, somewhere is having a good time. Think of that scene in every musical biopic where the local police and a minister try to shut down a concert because Rock 'n Roll is the devil's music that will corrupt the boys and sexually arouse the girls, and that usually sums the situation up pretty well.
But there are exceptions to the rule. Like when said businessman is Billy McFarland and said government officials represent an idyllic little resort island off the coast of Cancun. Who just found out their quiet community is being advertised as the site of the sequel nobody asked for, Fyre Festival 2:
The Guardian - “We have no knowledge of this event, nor contact with any person or company about it,” Edgar Gasca, from the tourism directorate of Isla Mujeres, told the Guardian.
“For us, this is an event that does not exist.” …
Gasca was … with other officials from Isla Mujeres when they were blindsided by the Fyre festival announcement … and that none of them had heard about the festival.
Impression Isla Mujeres, one of the luxury hotels at which Fyre promised accommodation, told the Guardian it had not received “any approach or enquiry with regards to the event” and that they were investigating it.
In a public audience this morning, Atenea Gómez Ricalde, municipal president of Isla Mujeres, said she knew nothing more about the festival than what was online. …
“The organisers didn’t even bother to approach the authorities,” said Gasca. “It’s very strange, because any manager knows that if you’re going to hold an event, let alone a massive event, you need municipal authorisation.
In this situation, all bets are off. All preconceived notions of who the bad guys really are become null and void.
But that's not the way McFarland sees it. So he took to the 'Gram to set the record straight. Or as straight as a guy who is as crooked as a dog's hind leg can set a record:
“First, Fyre 2 is real.
"Second, we have incredible partners leading the festival. They’re in charge of all the logistics, productions and operations. This includes an incredible production team in Mexico who does not F around. There is no way they would ever take on a fake festival.
“Three, we have accommodations. Naturally, this is a huge point of emphasis given the issues surrounding Fyre 1. Our accommodations include contracts with a number of villas, yachts and hotels. It also includes two hotels who were contacted by the media, and in response, gave misleading statements saying they never heard of Fyre and they aren’t working with us. …
“Four, we have talent. Artists, athletes and other performers are on board and scheduled for Fyre 2."
A quick note about Four. Via TMZ:
He also claims artists, athletes, and performers are already on the schedule -- reinforcing what he first told TMZ last week … though he refused to name any talent on the roster, aside from one cryptic hint about a female DJ.
Billy adds he's committed to righting his wrongs. Since being released from prison in 2022 -- he was convicted of fraud after the first Fyre Fest fiasco -- he’s made 40 payments toward restitution, and he says a big chunk of Fyre Festival 2’s profits will go toward continuing those payments.
OK. So he's got artists, athletes and performers all lined up. He's just not saying who. Because I guess that's the way to sell tickets and win back the public's trust. By keeping your schedule of entertainers a secret. So he might have the 33 artists he advertised in 2017, including though not limited to Pusha T, Tyga, Desiigner and Blink-182. Or he might have a Jimmy Buffett tribute band and that guy who plays the accordion on the subway platform. You'll just have to buy your ticket package and find out. But this time, he's being honest.
Honest, he's honest. After all, look at how he's using "a big chunk of Fyre Festival 2's profits to pay off the people he was convicted of ripping off the last time. That's a sound business model. It's so solid, there ought to be a name for it.
To be fair to everyone involved in Fyre 2, I don't know the first thing about this Isla Murjese and the people who run it. Prior to 24 hours ago I'd never heard of the place unless it was an obscure Jeopardy! answer. For all I know this Atenea Gómez Ricalde would keep the beaches open for the 4th of July if Chrissy Watkins and the Little Kintner Boy were eaten by a shark a couple of days apart.
But what we do know about this particular event organizer is all we need to know about this situation.
"Grok? Who is Billy McFarland?"
His most notorious endeavor came in 2016 when he founded Fyre Media and, alongside rapper Ja Rule, launched the Fyre Festival—a "luxury" music event in the Bahamas meant to promote the Fyre music-booking app. Marketed with promises of gourmet food, lavish accommodations, and celebrity appearances, the festival, held in April 2017, collapsed into chaos due to severe mismanagement, leaving attendees stranded with inadequate provisions. This led to multiple lawsuits, including a $100 million class-action suit.
In June 2017, McFarland was arrested and charged with wire fraud for defrauding investors of $27.4 million. After pleading guilty in March 2018, he was sentenced to six years in federal prison in October 2018. While on bail, he continued fraudulent activities, selling fake tickets to events like the Met Gala through a scheme called "NYC VIP Access." Released early in March 2022 after serving less than four years, he spent time in a halfway house and under house arrest until September 2022. Despite owing approximately $26 million in restitution, McFarland has since announced plans for a "Fyre Festival II," raising skepticism given his track record.
His story gained widespread attention through documentaries like Hulu’s Fyre Fraud and Netflix’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, both released in January 2019, cementing his reputation as a symbol of millennial-era scams.
But hey, who are we gonna believe? These islanders who are claiming no one from Fyre 2 ever contacted them, or the guy who pled guilty to lying about a non-existent music festival he was supposed to have organized and promoted?
So have a good time, anyone rich and naive enough to buy tickets to this thing. Just be sure and take lots of video. The sequels to the documentaries are going to electric.