Fyre Festival Organizer Pleads Not Guilty to Wire Fraud Charges
- April music extravaganza in Bahamas collapsed into chaos
- McFarland entered plea on Monday in Manhattan federal court
Billy McFarland leaves federal court after his arraignment, on July 1, 2017, in New York.
Photographer: Mary Altaffer/AP PhotoThis article is for subscribers only.
Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland pleaded not guilty to fraud charges stemming from the April event -- dubbed as a luxury music extravaganza in the Bahamas -- that turned into a weekend of chaos.
The festival collapsed with concertgoers finding "luxury" accommodations were actually disaster-relief tents and instead of gourmet food they were fed cheese sandwiches. McFarland was first arrested on June 30 on charges that he defrauded investors who bought a $1.2 million stake in Fyre Media. Authorities said McFarland provided false documents which inflated Fyre’s revenue. He’s free on bail.