It appears the promoter of the ill-fated Fyre Festival didn’t learn his lesson.
According to the Associated Press, Billy McFarland was arrested Tuesday on a new set of charges related to a recent ticketing scam. The 26-year-old has been accused of selling fraudulent tickets to sporting, fashion, and music events through his company NYC VIP Access. Authorities say McFarland was conducting the scheme even after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and misleading Fyre Media’s investors.
“In March of 2018, William McFarland pled guilty to defrauding investors and vendors of the Fyre Festival, but it is apparent that he did not stop there,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said in a press release. “McFarland allegedly went on to sell fraudulent tickets to many grand events, totaling almost $100,000. Today’s charges depict our intolerance for such fraudulent activity, and we will continue to diligently investigate acts such as this.”
NYC VIP Access was purporting to sell tickets to major events such as the Grammys, the Met Gala, Coachella, and the Super Bowl. According to the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, the scam affected a minimum of 15 victims, who were collectively charged around $100,000 for the phony tickets.
McFarland has been charged with money laundering and another count of wire fraud, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
