Billy McFarland, the notorious Fire Festival cheater, estimates that an hour of his precious time is worth about $2,000.
The convicted felon, who had nothing but time on his hands while serving four years in prison for bilking investors out of $26 million, has recently launched a new scheme targeting tech entrepreneurs. provides advice for just $1,800.
The consulting fee is one of the services provided by PYRT (pronounced “pirate”), McFarland’s new venture inspired by the failure of his infamous music festival in the Bahamas.
McFarland claims the company promises to deliver a virtual reality-powered experience where users can beam themselves onto a tropical island from the comfort of their homes and control what happens there.
A link from the bare-bones PYRT site to business communications platform Calendly shows McFarland’s hourly consulting fee of $1,800, designed to help tech companies expand their reach on social media platforms.
McFarland posted a TikTok video explaining the company’s approach, but social media users weren’t convinced — mocking her for wearing socks, sweatpants and a T-shirt while holding a water bottle.
One quipped: “Absolutely can’t go wrong, Billy.”
Another TikTok user who apparently expects the project to turn into another scandal, wrote: “Can’t wait for the Netflix show.”
“C’mon, this can’t actually happen,” another TikTok user commented, noting that McFarland is “going straight out of jail and into the next hustle.”
The idea is for consumers sitting on their couches at home to digitally attend exclusive parties with celebrities and influencers that make them think they’re on a remote, tropical island.
“They can, like, buy the talent a drink and then bring in some drink service. [the same kind of drink] That’s when they get the talent,” McFarland told The Post last week.
“So, if you’re 18 years old and you’re on your computer in the middle of America, now you can actually come. [to this party] And not just see what’s happening, but participate in changing it,” McFarland said.
“It gives you access to a really cool land and group of people.”
The Post has sought comment from McFarland.
Ironically, the project involves bringing users on a trip to a remote tropical island with Internet content creators and social media influencers.
“PYRT is not an event, it’s not a festival, and it’s definitely not a metaverse,” McFarland said in the TikTok video.
He said it’s a technology he’s “been working on for the past few years” called “VID/R” — or Virtual Immersive Decentralized Reality.
McFarland, 31, said VID/R “brings and connects people from all over the world together, practically and physically.”
“Then, once they come together, it allows people to affect real-world change,” McFarland said in the TikTok video.
McFarland said PYRT will partner with “a small remote destination where we’ll host a handful of artists, content creators, entrepreneurs,” and potential job applicants who will eventually work for the company. Get a job for
The plan is to bring people together on the island and then “launch a virtual replica” of the place so that “anyone from around the world can not only see what’s going on, but be inspired by it together with their friends.” and even their own real-world adventures.”
McFarland recorded the video standing in front of a map of the Exumas — the Bahamian archipelago where the Fyre Festival debacle took place in the spring of 2017.
There were Bahamian authorities. Cited by NBC News. Saying that McFarland, considered a “fugitive” by officials in Nassau, is not welcome on the island and will prevent any McFarland-related projects from obtaining permits there.
“The Government of The Bahamas will not endorse or approve any event in The Bahamas associated with this,” the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism said.
In his TikTok video, McFarland expressed his preference for using the Exumas as the backdrop for his latest project, though he added that he would be open to working with other locations as well.
McFarland told NBC News last week that he was confident everyone involved in the Fire Festival would get their money back. Then he could foresee future cooperation with the Exumas.
“I think once everyone is paid, I would like to have a conversation to see if the relationship can be worked out,” he said.
McFarland was released from a Brooklyn halfway house in September after serving more than four years in federal prison.
He pleaded guilty to defrauding investors out of nearly $26 million after buying his vision of a luxury music festival in the Bahamas that was promoted by celebrities and social media influencers including J’Roll, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid. , by Hailey Baldwin and Emily Ratajkowski.
Fans paid $12,000 per ticket only to find that the Exuma resort was a dilapidated collection of tents and mattresses that had been turned inside out by a massive storm.
Participants, who were promised luxurious accommodation and sumptuous meals, instead posted photos of plain cheese sandwiches in a box.
It was a disastrous event The subject of widely viewed documentaries which airs on Hulu and Netflix.
Additional reporting by Joshua Rhett Miller
Read full article here