What do you need as a recipe for success of an event in the age of internet and social media? An ambitious plan, abysmal ambition, aggressive marketing, sponsors with big pockets, persons of dubious value (in the internet world everyone has value) with thousands of followers to advertise the event and a little luck.
The Greek-American Billy McFarland he had it all except the last item. But along with the ingredients of the "manner" he had another in mind. How to make the most of selling seaweed for silk ribbons.
The fantasy of the American dream and the emptiness of the internet is a very dynamic combination. Those who had the luck and the ability to deceive the right people right now go around the world presenting on their Instagram their exuberant daily life. Still others reached riches but their ability was not enough to reach the end.
McFarland and rapper Ja Rule thought of organizing a big festival giving the audience the opportunity, after paying a lot, to taste an experience that would go beyond watching a simple concert. And they certainly did…
Born in 1991, Billy McFarland had a vision for himself. Like many young Americans, after all. To become a successful income earner very quickly through a good idea. The American dream, after all, has the ability to evolve like a chameleon over the years, but at its core it remains the same.
He considered himself an emerging Mark Zuckerberg when he started his first company at 13. He spoke on talk shows with an incredible confidence that made you believe he was made for success.
His first attempt was made from his paternal basement in New Jersey and involved a credit card aimed primarily at the generation of millennials: "Magnises" would give access to shows and private clubs in America's largest cities.
The card could then be linked to an application called Fyre, through which one could "rent" a celebrity from a relevant list to accompany him or her to a party or other social event.
McFarland's magnum opus, however, was one music festival which would combine the above and give a spectacular experience to visitors to a magical "private" island in Bahamas which had become known as his "island Escobar».
McFarland was a man of extraordinary persuasion skills and an ability to tell stories to those he wanted to give him huge sums of money. McFarland knew very well how vain the world of social media is. And he pressed on that.
This «Fyre festival»Was advertised in aggressive terms as the ultimate luxury music event that would level the Coachella. The event paid well for dozens of people who would promote the festival: Among them the most sought after models of our time such as Bella Hadid, Emily Ratakowski and Kate Moss and a bunch of influencers. It is rumored that Kendall Jenner took $ 250.000 to make just one post about the festival that launched sales.
The promise included a paradise island, a $ 1.000.000 treasure hunt, accommodation in luxury beachfront villas, and a line-up that had long been named after Kanye West. Along with the images of beautiful girls playing Nazi in the golden sand, the festival was declared sold out and about 6000 people ready to live the dream.
The festival was scheduled for the end of April 2017. From the beginning, the fiasco of the event was visible. The first black clouds were created when Blink 182 revealed in a sharp announcement that they were canceling their appearance as they stated that the conditions there would not allow them to perform properly.
Ja Rule and the festival promised a celebration of pure, unchanging luxury, transfer to custom VIP flights to the Exumas Islands and accommodation in modern tents and dozens of other activities. There were complete packages for the festival that cost up to $ 250.000.
When they arrived on the island, the first VIPs picked up their mobile phones to record the experience. What the furious spectators recorded was something they said looked like "with a refugee camp": Garbage piles, half-set tents, awful fast food meals, dirty and minimal toilets, mice. Some did not even have a place to stay as their tents were not ready or were full of mud and they spent the night outside in sleeping bags. Those who tried to leave found themselves in a second chaos as there were no flights. Suitcases were lost and some say they could not even find water to bathe.
Very soon, people realized that Fyre festival παπαλα. The artists, some of whom had not been paid under their contract, were badly withdrawn from the lineup.
The blow to the local community, however, was enormous as they had made colonial-type agreements with the island's workforce and businesses that they did not fulfill. A typical example is an owner of a local restaurant who lost $ 50.000 of her savings due to the promises of the event.
Early report is that many of the tents aren't assembled. Here's their tropical private island owned by Escobar! #FyreFestival pic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJ
- FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27, 2017
For nearly a year, one of the biggest fiascos in music festival history, Billy McFarland heard Manhattan District Judge Naomi Rees Buhwakd call him a "serial swindler" before announcing his six-year prison sentence.
According to the reports of the time, the 26-year-old admitted that cheated investors $ 26 million for the Fyre Festival in 2017 and over $ 100.000 with a conspiracy to sell fake tickets.
The judges were catapults to the Greek-American's intentions: "Mr McFarland is a scammer and not just a young man with bad guidance. "There was bad intention for a long time."
He used false information about the company as part of a "sell" effort to 80 investors to invest $ 24 million in the Fyre Festival, he added. A separate $ 2 million investment came from another entity.
According to the prosecution, o McFarland, raised $ 13 million in his personal accounts to fund an "extremely luxurious lifestyle".
Among other things, he moved from a $ 8.000-a-month apartment in Manhattan to a $ 21.000-a-month penthouse. The prosecutor also said that he drove luxury vehicles, made frequent trips and flew on private planes.
It is characteristic that even after the cancellation of the Fyre Festival and until he accepted the lawsuit of 100 million dollars, he was preparing his new large provision of luxury services to those who could pay them.