NEW YORK − A federal judge has given the creator of the highly publicised, failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas a six-year prison term.
Billy McFarland was sentenced on Thursday in federal court in Manhattan. Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald called him a “serial fraudster”.
He admitted defrauding investors of US$26 million in the 2017 music festival and over US$100 000 in a fraudulent ticket-selling scheme after his arrest in the festival scam.
Buchwald says McFarland deserved a long prison term because he disrespected the criminal justice system by lying to law enforcement agents when they learned about the ticket-selling business.
Speaking in a courtroom packed with friends and family and at least one victim, McFarland apologised as family members cried behind him.
He says he hit rock bottom and plans to become a better person. (AP)