Fyre Festival documentary: A glimpse into the scam of the century
A new documentary which looks into the "biggest party that never happened" has been released on a popular streaming platform - and it has everyone talking.
Scams - sadly they happen, and one can't help but feel sad for the scammer, but more importantly, the innocent individual who got taken for a ride, too.
One such scam, which also happens to be trending on social media thanks to a Netflix documentary, had to be the Fyre Festival which was supposed to take place back over two weekends in 2017.
The event was going to feature the likes of beautiful Instagram models, A-list celebs, and major parties. Instead, it all turned into a disaster.
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Founder and CEO Billy McFarland thought it would be a brilliant idea to host an out-of-this-world music festival on a stranded island in the Bahamas. He hired social media influencers to boost the event and branded it as a luxury experience - only it ended up being a weekend filled with bad weather, and a whole lot of promises that weren't met.
McFarland pleaded guilty to swindling millions from concert-goers and investors of "more than $26-million and pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, a charge that relates to financial deceit," it was reported. He was sentenced to six years behind bars.
Streaming services Hulu and Netflix have released documentaries about the festival "that never happened" which have worldwide appeal. Forbes reported that the documentary will teach the world a lot about millennials, mainly that Instagram influencers are powerful and content is king.
Rapper Ja Rule who has been accused of being a part of the scam had this to say:
Come on your smarter than that... I feel bad for those ppl... but I did not and would never scam ANYONE... period!!! And I don’t care if anyone sympathizes with me or not those are the FACTS!!! 💯 https://t.co/5WErU3zwF7
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Haha nice try homie you ain’t getting the goods over Twitter... but I will tell my truth real soon... AND I HAVE RECEIPTS!!! https://t.co/O03JD3VQOl
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Jane had a chance to watch the documentary and had this to say after seeing it.
"This documentary absolutely floored me. I watched in a complete state of disbelief. How did this guy think he would ever get away with it? As for the festival-goers, how beyond terrifying to arrive on an island with no way out and to realise all is not what was promised? What an anticlimax and complete farce," she said.
Watch the trailer below:
DISCLAIMER: This trailer contains strong language
Have you ever been scammed? What was it for and how much did you lose?