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Fyre Festival Promoters Ja Rule And Bill McFarland Under Federal Investigation
Looks like the disaster that was the Fyre Festival might just have a much harsher punishment than pettysocial media slander.
According to the NYTimes, the federal investigators (FBI and U.S. Attorney’s in NY) are looking to build a case against the promoter, Billy McFarland, and possibly Ja Rule for scamalicious event that left many angry, embarrassed and short millions of dollars via possible mail, wire and securities fraud.
There are many potential victims: ticket buyers, investors and businesses small and large, spread across the United States and the Bahamas. Blink-182, a planned headliner, can’t get its equipment out of customs limbo. Fyre’s employees have not been paid. MaryAnn Rolle, a restaurant owner in the Bahamas who catered daily meals and rented villas to the festival crew, says she is owed $134,000.
“I’m struggling” and feeling taken advantage of, Ms. Rolle said. “It’s embarrassing.”
Being that he’s already been the subject of a federal investigation behind shady shenanigans at his former Murder Inc. record label, one would think that all of Ja’s business dealings would be vetted and on the up-and-up, but alas, here we are again.
Lawyers for both men offer that their clients are both apologetic and innocent of purposefully fleecing potential concert attendees and staff:
Mr. McFarland and his lawyers declined to address specific allegations. But in a statement, he said: “I cannot emphasize enough how sorry I am that we fell short of our goal,” adding, “I’m committed to, and working actively to, find a way to make this right, not just for investors but for those who planned to attend.”
Stacey Richman, a lawyer for Ja Rule, said that he “would never participate in anything fraudulent; it’s simply not in his DNA.”
This could be very, very bad for Ja who appeared to be making an attempt to get his name back in the spotlight in a positive way after his music career and business have taken severe hits over the past decade.
BOSSIP will have more information on this investigation as it becomes available.
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