If you missed the infamous international fiasco that was the Fyre Festival in 2017, now is your chance to grab commemorative loot, from the US government.
The U.S. Marshals Service is auctioning off festival merchandise seized from founder Billy McFarland in an effort to return his victims. The 126 items went up for auction Thursday and are available through August 13. As of Friday morning, the highest bid was $ 155 for a hoodie.
“This Fyre Festival brand clothing and other seized items from Billy McFarland were originally intended to be sold at the Fyre Festival itself, but McFarland kept them with the intention of selling the items and using the funds to commit further criminal acts while on pre-trial release, “United States Marshal of Manhattan Ralph Sozio said in a statement. “Proceeds from the sale of these items, all attributable to McFarland’s $ 26 million fraud, will go to victims of their crimes.”
The now infamous festival was anything but the ultra-luxurious event promoted as “the cultural experience of the decade” for two weekends and promoted on social media by Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and other models and celebrities.
Customers expecting to see Blink-182 and the hip hop act Migos came to learn musical acts were canceled. Their deluxe accommodations and gourmet food consisted of white tents and cheese sandwiches.
McFarland, the promoter of the Bahamas disaster-turned-out flamboyance, was sentenced to six years in prison in Manhattan federal court in late 2018.
He pleaded twice guilty to the charges. First, he admitted that he defrauded investors at the 2017 Fyre Festival. Then, weeks later, he pleaded guilty to the charges in a ticket-selling scam.
His lawyer had appealed for mercy, saying McFarland suffers from a mental illness that includes delusional beliefs that his talents would lead to “fame and fortune.”
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