The now 30-year-old pleaded guilty in 2018 to defrauding investors in the festival. He was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to repay his victims their money, totaling about $26 million.
Last year, a judge also ruled that nearly 300 people who bought tickets to the festival are each entitled to compensation of $7200. It was not clear at the time whether this cost item was added to McFarland’s debts.
Bahamas
The Fyre Festival was advertised as a luxurious, exclusive party and famous stars were paid to promote the festival on social media. However, when the first visitors arrived at the event location in the Bahamas in April of 2017, it turned out to be a big chaos on the island. In addition to scarce accommodation and food, there was also a shortage of water and medical care. The festival therefore had to be canceled at the last minute.
Two documentaries about the Fyre Festival fiasco were released in 2019; Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened from Netflix and Fyre Fraud, broadcast by Hulu.