The music promoter who organized the infamously disastrous Fyre Festival in The Bahamas in April has pleaded not guilty to related charges while facing the possibility of a 20-year prison sentence.
Billy McFarland, 25, entered his plea Monday in Manhattan federal court. He faces two charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a bank in connection with the failed music festival.
He waived his right to be charged in a previously returned indictment, paving the way for a possible plea deal.
Federal prosecutors charged Mr. McFarland in late June with a single count of wire fraud related to Fyre Festival, a high-priced and purported luxury multi-day event that notoriously descended into chaos after ticket holders arrived at the island concert venue only to find lackluster food, unfinished shelters and an absence of musical performers.
Mr. McFarland “promised a ’life changing’ music festival but in actuality delivered a disaster,” Joon H. Kim, the U.S. attorney for Manhattan, said when prosecutors unsealed the initial single count complaint.
Prosecutors claim that Mr. McFarland used phony financial statements to misrepresent the value of Fyre Media, his New York City-based production company, in order to dupe a pair of investigators into bankrolling the festival. But by waiving his right to be charged in connection with that indictment, however, he’s rejecting the initial charge for now and moving forward instead with related charges based off of the prosecution’s case thus far — a legal maneuver likely signaling a plea deal is in the works, The Los Angeles Times and Variety separately reported Monday.
The U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan has two weeks to provide the defense with details concerning its evidence against Mr. McFarland, and a pretrial hearing is currently scheduled for Dec. 13, Variety reported. The case will likely go to trial toward the start of 2018 unless a plea deal is reached in the interim.
Mr. McFarland was arrested after being charged in June and released on $300,000 bond. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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