Billy McFarland - Revision history

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	\|description=Billy McFarland's Fyre Festival fraud conviction, 6-year federal sentence, and ongoing ventures including the failed Fyre Fest II and PHNX Festival 2025.		\|description=Billy McFarland's Fyre Festival fraud conviction, 6-year federal sentence, and ongoing ventures including the failed Fyre Fest II and PHNX Festival 2025.
	\|keywords=Billy McFarland, Fyre Festival, fraud, federal prison, PHNX Festival, wire fraud, scam		\|keywords=Billy McFarland, Fyre Festival, fraud, federal prison, PHNX Festival, wire fraud, scam
	\|type=~~profile~~		\|type=ProfilePage
	\|site_name=Prisonpedia		\|site_name=Prisonpedia
	\|locale=en_US		\|locale=en_US

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	\|birth_place = New York City, New York		\|birth_place = New York City, New York
	\|charges = Wire fraud, Bank fraud, Making false statements to federal agents		\|charges = Wire fraud, Bank fraud, Making false statements to federal agents
			\|conviction_date = March 6, 2018
	\|sentence = 6 years		\|sentence = 6 years
	\|facility = FCI Elkton		\|facility = FCI Elkton
	\|status = Released ~~(2022)~~, Supervised Release		\|release_date = March 2022
			\|status = Released, Supervised Release
	}}		}}
	'''William Zervakos McFarland''' (born December 11, 1991), known as '''Billy McFarland''', is an American convicted fraudster and entrepreneur who orchestrated the infamous Fyre Festival disaster and defrauded investors of more than $26 million.<ref name="doj-sentence">U.S. Department of Justice, "William McFarland Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison In Manhattan Federal Court For Engaging In Multiple Fraudulent Schemes And Making False Statements To A Federal Law Enforcement Agent," October 11, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/william-mcfarland-sentenced-6-years-prison-manhattan-federal-court-engaging-multiple.</ref> McFarland pleaded guilty to [[Wire_Fraud\|wire fraud]] charges related to the 2017 Fyre Festival, a purported luxury music festival in the Bahamas that left thousands of attendees stranded without adequate food, shelter, or entertainment, and to additional fraud charges stemming from a ticket-selling scam he operated while awaiting trial. U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald called McFarland "a serial fraudster" when sentencing him to six years in federal prison in October 2018.<ref name="fbi-sentence">FBI, "Fyre Festival Founder Sentenced," November 5, 2018, https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fyre-festival-founder-sentenced-110518.</ref>		'''William Zervakos McFarland''' (born December 11, 1991), known as '''Billy McFarland''', is an American convicted fraudster and entrepreneur who orchestrated the infamous Fyre Festival disaster and defrauded investors of more than $26 million.<ref name="doj-sentence">U.S. Department of Justice, "William McFarland Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison In Manhattan Federal Court For Engaging In Multiple Fraudulent Schemes And Making False Statements To A Federal Law Enforcement Agent," October 11, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/william-mcfarland-sentenced-6-years-prison-manhattan-federal-court-engaging-multiple.</ref> McFarland pleaded guilty to [[Wire_Fraud\|wire fraud]] charges related to the 2017 Fyre Festival, a purported luxury music festival in the Bahamas that left thousands of attendees stranded without adequate food, shelter, or entertainment, and to additional fraud charges stemming from a ticket-selling scam he operated while awaiting trial. U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald called McFarland "a serial fraudster" when sentencing him to six years in federal prison in October 2018.<ref name="fbi-sentence">FBI, "Fyre Festival Founder Sentenced," November 5, 2018, https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fyre-festival-founder-sentenced-110518.</ref>
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	=== Early Life and Education ===		=== Early Life and Education ===

	William McFarland was born on December 11, 1991, in New York City and raised in the affluent Short Hills section of Millburn, New Jersey. His parents are real estate developers. McFarland showed entrepreneurial ambition from an early age, founding an online outsourcing startup at age 13 that matched clients with web designers. He attended the Pingry School, an elite private school in New Jersey, graduating in 2010.<ref name="~~wiki~~-mcfarland">~~Wikipedia~~, "Billy McFarland," https://en.~~wikipedia.org~~/~~wiki~~/~~Billy_McFarland~~.</ref>		William McFarland was born on December 11, 1991, in New York City and raised in the affluent Short Hills section of Millburn, New Jersey. His parents are real estate developers. McFarland showed entrepreneurial ambition from an early age, founding an online outsourcing startup at age 13 that matched clients with web designers. He attended the Pingry School, an elite private school in New Jersey, graduating in 2010.<ref name="heavy-mcfarland">Heavy.com, "Billy McFarland: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know," April 2017, https://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/04/fyre-festival-organizer-billy-mcfarland-ja-rule.</ref>

	McFarland enrolled at Bucknell University to study computer engineering but dropped out in May of his freshman year to pursue business ventures. His departure from college marked the beginning of a pattern of ambitious projects that would ultimately cross the line into fraud.<ref name="biography-mcfarland">Biography.com, "Fraudster Billy McFarland Is Planning FYRE Festival 2. He Still Owes Millions for the First," https://www.biography.com/crime/a63917214/billy-mcfarland-now-fyre-festival-2.</ref>		McFarland enrolled at Bucknell University to study computer engineering but dropped out in May of his freshman year to pursue business ventures. His departure from college marked the beginning of a pattern of ambitious projects that would ultimately cross the line into fraud.<ref name="biography-mcfarland">Biography.com, "Fraudster Billy McFarland Is Planning FYRE Festival 2. He Still Owes Millions for the First," https://www.biography.com/crime/a63917214/billy-mcfarland-now-fyre-festival-2.</ref>
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	=== Pre-Fyre Business Ventures ===		=== Pre-Fyre Business Ventures ===

	In 2013, McFarland founded Magnises, a members-only credit card marketed to young urban professionals. The company charged an annual membership fee and promised exclusive access to events, restaurants, and experiences. Magnises attracted approximately $1.5 million in investor funding and garnered media attention as an innovative startup targeting millennials. However, the company faced complaints about unfulfilled promises and poor customer service, foreshadowing the problems that would plague Fyre Festival.<ref name="~~wiki~~-mcfarland" />		In 2013, McFarland founded Magnises, a members-only credit card marketed to young urban professionals. The company charged an annual membership fee and promised exclusive access to events, restaurants, and experiences. Magnises attracted approximately $1.5 million in investor funding and garnered media attention as an innovative startup targeting millennials. However, the company faced complaints about unfulfilled promises and poor customer service, foreshadowing the problems that would plague Fyre Festival.<ref name="heavy-mcfarland" />

	McFarland subsequently founded Fyre Media, a technology company that developed an app for booking musical talent. The app was intended to streamline the process of hiring musicians for private events. To promote the Fyre app, McFarland conceived an audacious marketing event: a luxury music festival in the Bahamas that would showcase the app's capabilities while generating massive social media buzz.<ref name="fbi-sentence" />		McFarland subsequently founded Fyre Media, a technology company that developed an app for booking musical talent. The app was intended to streamline the process of hiring musicians for private events. To promote the Fyre app, McFarland conceived an audacious marketing event: a luxury music festival in the Bahamas that would showcase the app's capabilities while generating massive social media buzz.<ref name="fbi-sentence" />
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	=== PHNX Festival 2025 ===		=== PHNX Festival 2025 ===

	Undeterred by the Fyre Festival II collapse, McFarland launched a new festival venture under the name PHNX Festival. The event ~~is scheduled for~~ December 6, 2025, in Utila Bay, an island approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Honduras. ~~French Montana is the announced headliner.~~ McFarland ~~has stated~~ that ~~all artists have received advance payments and contracts have been signed~~.<ref name="dnyuz-trying" />		Undeterred by the Fyre Festival II collapse, McFarland launched a new festival venture under the name PHNX Festival. The event took place on December 6, 2025, in Utila Bay, an island approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Honduras. The choice of Honduras allowed McFarland to work around court restrictions that prevented him from leaving the United States.<ref name="dnyuz-trying" />

	The ~~choice of Honduras allows~~ McFarland ~~to work around restrictions that prevented him from producing events~~ in the ~~United States or areas that withdrew support~~. ~~Legal experts continue~~ to ~~question whether his ongoing promotional activities could violate~~ the ~~terms of his supervised release~~, ~~particularly given his outstanding restitution obligations~~.<ref name="~~bonderud~~-~~tos~~">~~Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer Blog~~, "Billy McFarland ~~Plans Fyre~~ Festival 2: ~~What You Should Know About~~ Fyre.Mx's ~~Terms of Service~~," ~~March~~ 2025, https://www.~~bonderudlaw~~.com/~~blog~~/billy-mcfarland~~-plans-fyre-festival-2-what-you-should-know-about~~-fyre-~~mxs~~-~~terms~~-~~of-service/~~.</ref>		Unlike the Fyre Festival disaster, PHNX actually occurred—artists including French Montana, Bobby Shmurda, and Slim Jxmmi performed, and attendees were not stranded or defrauded.<ref name="avclub-phnx">The A.V. Club, "Billy McFarland pulls off music festival without stranding hundreds in Bahamas," December 2025, https://www.avclub.com/billy-mcfarland-throws-phnx-festival.</ref> However, the event was far from a resounding success. Attendance was sparse, with estimates ranging from "tens" to "a few hundred people" on site—a far cry from the thousands McFarland had hoped to attract with ticket prices ranging from $599 to $140,000 for VIP packages.<ref name="consequence-phnx">Consequence, "He Did It: Fyre Fest's Billy McFarland Actually Put On a Music Festival," December 2025, https://consequence.net/2025/12/billy-mcfarland-fyre-fest-phnx/.</ref>

			The festival was plagued by technical issues including two power outages and a stage crasher. A $7 livestream attracted only about 100 viewers at its peak. Critics on social media compared the poorly attended event to "a backyard barbecue" and questioned whether McFarland's "redemption" narrative was warranted given his outstanding $20 million in restitution to Fyre Festival victims.<ref name="mirror-phnx">The Mirror, "Failed Fyre fest creator's PHYNX festival plagued with two power outages and stage crasher," December 2025, https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/billy-mcfarland-fyre-fest-phnx-1548876.</ref> While PHNX represented a marginal improvement over McFarland's previous festival attempts in that it actually happened, the dismal turnout and production problems suggested his reputation may be permanently damaged.

	=== Public Appearances and Media ===		=== Public Appearances and Media ===
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	{{FAQ\|question=Where was Billy McFarland incarcerated?\|answer=McFarland served his sentence at [[FCI_Elkton_(low-security)\|FCI Elkton]], a low-security federal prison in Ohio, where he reportedly spent time in solitary confinement and experienced the COVID-19 pandemic.}}		{{FAQ\|question=Where was Billy McFarland incarcerated?\|answer=McFarland served his sentence at [[FCI_Elkton_(low-security)\|FCI Elkton]], a low-security federal prison in Ohio, where he reportedly spent time in solitary confinement and experienced the COVID-19 pandemic.}}
	{{FAQ\|question=Did Billy McFarland commit fraud while on bail?\|answer=Yes, while on $300,000 bail, McFarland sold fake tickets to events like the Met Gala and Coachella through NYC VIP Access, defrauding additional victims of over $100,000. This significantly increased his sentence.}}		{{FAQ\|question=Did Billy McFarland commit fraud while on bail?\|answer=Yes, while on $300,000 bail, McFarland sold fake tickets to events like the Met Gala and Coachella through NYC VIP Access, defrauding additional victims of over $100,000. This significantly increased his sentence.}}
	{{FAQ\|question=What is PHNX Festival 2025?\|answer=PHNX Festival ~~is McFarland's latest venture after selling the Fyre brand. Scheduled for~~ December 6, 2025, in ~~Utila Bay,~~ Honduras, it ~~features French~~ Montana ~~as headliner~~. ~~McFarland claims all artists have been paid in advance~~.}}		{{FAQ\|question=What happened at PHNX Festival 2025?\|answer=PHNX Festival took place on December 6, 2025, in Honduras. Unlike Fyre Festival, it actually happened—French Montana, Bobby Shmurda, and Slim Jxmmi performed. However, attendance was sparse (estimates of "tens" to "a few hundred"), with two power outages and a stage crasher. It was a marginal improvement over Fyre but far from a success.}}
	{{FAQSection/End}}		{{FAQSection/End}}

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	{		{
	"@type": "Question",		"@type": "Question",
	"name": "What is PHNX Festival 2025?",		"name": "What happened at PHNX Festival 2025?",
	"acceptedAnswer": {		"acceptedAnswer": {
	"@type": "Answer",		"@type": "Answer",
	"text": "PHNX Festival ~~is Billy McFarland's latest attempt at producing a music festival after selling the Fyre brand. Scheduled for~~ December 6, 2025, in ~~Utila Bay,~~ Honduras, ~~the festival features French~~ Montana ~~as headliner~~. ~~McFarland claims all artists have been paid in advance. He~~ was ~~unable~~ to ~~produce Fyre Festival II in Mexico due to court restrictions preventing him from leaving~~ the U.~~S. and local governments withdrawing support~~."		"text": "PHNX Festival took place on December 6, 2025, in Honduras. Unlike Fyre Festival, it actually happened—French Montana, Bobby Shmurda, and Slim Jxmmi performed, and attendees were not stranded or defrauded. However, attendance was sparse (estimates of 'tens' to 'a few hundred' people), the event suffered two power outages and a stage crasher, and a $7 livestream attracted only about 100 viewers at peak. It was a marginal improvement over McFarland's previous festival disasters but far from a success."
	}		}
	}		}

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	~~{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Billy McFarland's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}~~
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	\|name = William McFarland		\|name = William McFarland
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			{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Billy McFarland's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}

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	"acceptedAnswer": {		"acceptedAnswer": {
	"@type": "Answer",		"@type": "Answer",
	"text": "Billy McFarland served his sentence at FCI Elkton, a low-security federal correctional institution in Ohio. During his incarceration, he reportedly spent time in solitary confinement as a protective measure and experienced the COVID-19 pandemic."		"text": "Billy McFarland served his sentence at [[FCI_Elkton_(low-security)\|FCI Elkton, a low-security federal correctional institution in Ohio.]] During his incarceration, he reportedly spent time in solitary confinement as a protective measure and experienced the COVID-19 pandemic."
	}		}
	},		},