Shameless! Fraudster Billy McFarland Defends Fyre Festival In Prison: ‘The FYRE Never Dies’
Feb. 28 2019, Published 9:12 a.m. ET
Billy McFarland has been serving a six-year sentence for wire fraud after scamming Fyre Festival investors and guests. RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal McFarland may not be learning his lesson behind bars, as a post on his Instagram page defended the festival.
The private account, which is “managed by Billy’s team,” posted a photo of a flame earlier this week.
“If you burn bright enough, the FYRE never dies,” the caption read.
Followers were quick to slam the page for the caption.
“How’s prison you fraud?” one follower fired, as a second slammed, “You my friend are a burning idiot.”
Ja Rule, who co-founded the festival with McFarland, follows the account. The account has also been tagged in posts since 2013, including posts by McFarland’s now-defunct company Magnises.
McFarland, 27, is co-founder of the doomed music festival, which took place in the Bahamas in April 2017.
Celebrities from Kendall Jenner to Bella Hadid helped promote the festival. The event promised to be a luxury music experience that “exceeds all expectations.” The festival boasted “the best in food, art, music and adventure.”
But guests paid thousands for disaster relief tents and cheese sandwiches instead of beach villas and gourmet food. The festival was cancelled when music acts began pulling out.
McFarland pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud in March 2018.
While out on bail in June, he was arrested and charged with a third count of wire fraud and money laundering. He made $150,000 by selling fake tickets to high-profile events. He was denied bail.
McFarland is currently serving his 6-year sentence on wire fraud charges at “cushy” FCI Otisville in New York. His release date is September 1, 2023.
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RadarOnline.com previously reported McFarland isn't well-liked in prison.
“None of the prisoners inside Otisville like Billy,” a source claimed. “He’s a pompous a**hole. He tries to buy respect from people by being flashy with his money. He calls the inmates that he hires to do his work for him his ‘groupies.’”
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