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To help those victims who lost out through the disastrous Fyre Festival in 2017, the U.S. Marshals are auctioning off memorabilia from the event.
The disastrous 2017 festival, which was co-founded by Ja Rule and the now-incarcerated Billy McFarland (who was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud in 2018), made headlines across the world after its inaugural event in The Bahamas was cancelled following a series of serious organisational and logistical problems.
Speaking about the money-raising big, U.S. Marshal Ralph Sozio of the Southern District of New York said: “The proceeds from the sale of these items…will go toward the victims of [Farland’s] crimes.”
Among the items available to buy include a cap, long-sleeve t-shirts, jogger sweat pants, and hoodies. A souvenir token with “a conspiracy to change the entertainment world” is also being auctioned off.
Limited to 126 items, the auction will be held by vendor Gaston & Sheehan. Bidding and registration for the items is already underway for the auction, which is due to take place on August 13. Proceeds from the sales will go towards those who lost money at the event.
Earlier this year, McFarland reportedly requested an early release from his six-year prison sentence due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, according to TMZ.
His lawyers argued that McFarland’s pre-existing health conditions — including asthma, allergies and heart issues — would prove to be severe health risks if he contracted COVID-19 in prison. McFarland’s lawyers also cited Tekashi 6ix9ine’s recent release as precedent.
McFarland had also reportedly planned to self-release his memoirs, provisionally titled Promythus: God of Fyre, to help him pay over $26million in compensation to those affected by the ill-fated festival.
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