'Failure Is OK in Entrepreneurship': Fyre Festival Fraudster Billy McFarland Throws Major Party After Prison ReleaseThe entrepreneur was freed this week after a four-year stint behind bars for the disastrous music festival he organized in the Bahamas back in 2017.

ByEmily Rella

Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The Bahamas-based disaster known as theFyre Festival, organized by entrepreneur Billy McFarland, was the scam heard 'round the world.

McFarland was arrested for defrauding investors and partygoers leading to four years in prison, plus an additional six months on house arrest and the international scandal spawned two competing documentaries on Netflix and Hulu.

And though McFarland told theNew York Timesthat he believes he's become "a better person" during his time behind bars, it looks like some habits die hard.

According toreports, McFarland celebrated his release from house arrest in a halfway home in Brooklyn by throwing a party at East Village hotspot Marylou. It's noted that two of his fellow festival organizers flew in from the Bahamas to celebrate alongside the 30-year-old.

McFarland, who had originally planned to write a memoir on the entire ordeal (he had snuck a USB device into prison to aid him in doing so which was found and confiscated, earning him three months in solitary confinement) but now told theTimesthat he's interested in going into tech.

"The good thing with tech is that people are so forward-thinking, and they're more apt at taking risk," hetold the outlet. "If I worked in finance, I think it would be harder to get back. Tech is more open. And the way I failed is totally wrong, but in a certain sense, failure is OK in entrepreneurship."

The Fyre Fest creator said that he believes he "deserved his sentence" and that he let a lot of people down" but hopes that in his next endeavor, he'll be able to help the business world at large.

"At the end of the day, I think I could probably create the most value by building some sort of tech product," McFarlandtold theTimes. "Whether that's within a company or by starting my own company, I'm open to both. I'll probably decide in the next couple of weeks which path to go do."

Fyre电影节是一个失败的音乐节在201年4月7 dubbed to be the most luxurious experiential festival that boasted big-time names and headliners on its original billing (like Major Lazer and Blink-182) and promised guests five-star accommodations in Exumas, Bahamas. The festival was promoted by models and influencers with the most expensive ticket packages costing up to $12,000.

When guests arrived, however, it was quickly realized that the entire festival had little to no organization, with many being stranded in the Bahamas and at airports without accommodations or adequate food and water.

McFarlandis currently$26 million in debt as he must pay back fraud victims in restitution.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Walgreens' Battle Over High-Tech Cooler Doors Heats Up

The lawsuit, initially filed in June, is seeking $200 million in damages.

Business News

Fake Property Manager Allegedly Defrauded Would-Be Renters Over $200,000

The real estate market is rough enough, and some scammers see it as a prime opportunity.

Business News

'Beware': Tom Hanks Warns of AI Danger After Advertisement Uses His Likeness Without Permission

The actor shared a screenshot of the false advertisement to his 9.5 million Instagram followers.

Business News

These Great-Grandparents Booked 51 Back-to-Back Cruises Because It's 'Cheaper Than a Retirement Home'

Retirees Marty and Jess Ansen hopped on a cruise ship nearly two years ago and never left.

Business News

A Woman Is Suing Disney World After Suffering 'Injurious' Waterslide Wedgie at Typhoon Lagoon

Emma McGuinness was going down the Humunga Kowabunga waterslide when the incident occurred.

Business News

Taylor Swift Reportedly Pays All Restaurant-Goers' Checks to Clear Out Restaurant For Her and NFL Star Travis Kelce

The star was spotted at Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs game Sunday night alongside Kelce's mother.