Amenities for patrons at the Fyre Fest on Exuma included tents and a portable toilet. Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland pleaded not guilty to fraud charges over the Bahamian music event that went viral this spring when ticket holders offered real-time social-media coverage of its disastrous collapse. The 25-year-old was arrested in June on charges that he defrauded investors who poured $1.2 million into two companies associated with April's ill-fated festival. "McFarland promised a 'life changing' music festival but in actuality delivered a disaster," Joon Kim, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement upon the organizer’s arrest. More than a dozen lawsuits alleging fraud, breach of contract and other claims have been filed, and the festival continues to be a potent punchline.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 02, 2017 22:31 UTC