Disastrous Fyre Festival founder asks for his GLASSES while in jail

The promoter of the failed Fyre Festival has been granted access to his eyeglasses in jail after telling a judge that he has ‘extremely poor vision’ and fears for his safety without them.

Billy McFarland, 26, was arrested earlier this month and charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering over alleged scams connected to his firm NYC VIP Access. He faces a maximum of 40 years in prison if convicted.

In a letter to US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald and exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, lawyer Karen Chesley asked to make steps toward granting McFarland access to his glasses.

‘Without his glasses, Mr. McFarland has extremely poor vision and is almost legally blind, which presents serious safety concerns,’ Chesley wrote in a letter dated June 28. 

In photos of McFarland walking in to court in the months before his arrest, it appears that he was wearing contacts, as he was not wearing glasses.

Billy McFarland, 26, was arrested earlier this month and charged with with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering over alleged scams connected to his firm NYC VIP Access

Chesley attached a proposed order in hopes of having Buchwald sign it and allow McFarland to have his glasses while imprisoned at a New York jail. A judge approved the order on Friday.

The request comes after prosecutors asked McFarland to turn over his financial information as part of the criminal case to prove he is eligible for a taxpayer-funded court-appointed lawyer instead of paying for his own.

In a letter to US District Judge Jesse Furman filed earlier this week, US Attorney Geoffrey Berman claims that McFarland submitted a financial affidavit in an April probation meeting, which showed he had assets worth $1.86 million and a net monthly income of $11,000.

A month later, McFarland told a probation officer that he was earning $40,000 a month through consultations with hip hop artists and IT assistance, according to the letter to the judge.

He said he received his compensation in cash, Berman writes in his letter.

The April report of his finances showed that McFarland’s assets included $250,0000 in a bank account, $240,000 in an escrow account, $50,000 in cash, $1.25 million in art, $5,000 in wine, and $69,000 in vehicles including a jet ski, ATVs, and a Polaris, the letter states.

He also listed $1.04 million in debt and liabilities, making his total net worth $824,000. 

McFarland's cost between $1,200 and $250,000 to attend

It hit the headlines last year after McFarland's highly anticipated festival for wealthy millennials, Instagram influencers and celebs was cancelled on the first day

McFarland’s cost between $1,200 and $250,000 to attend. It hit the headlines last year after McFarland’s highly anticipated festival for wealthy millennials, Instagram influencers and celebs was cancelled on the first day

The Fyre Festival venture was backed by a host of A-list models with packages costing thousands. Models (left to right) Elsa Hosk, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Lais Ribeiro, Gizele Oliveira and Rose Bertram were invited to the island in December 2016 'to give feedback' on the festival launch

The Fyre Festival venture was backed by a host of A-list models with packages costing thousands. Models (left to right) Elsa Hosk, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Lais Ribeiro, Gizele Oliveira and Rose Bertram were invited to the island in December 2016 ‘to give feedback’ on the festival launch

US Attorney Berman has asked that McFarland turn over his financial affidavit so the court can decide whether or not McFarland can afford a lawyer or if he should be appointed counsel in the case.

McFarland was arrested on June 12 over fraud allegations connected to NYC VIP Access.

The 26-year-old began running the new ticket scheme at the end of last year – just a few months after his arrest in June 2017 for the disastrous Fyre Festival, according to prosecutors.

He even allegedly targeted the same distraught festival goers he’d ripped off in the Fyre Media scheme.

Prosecutors said over 15 victims had been bilked since late last year of more than $100,000 as McFarland and his workers sold non-existent tickets to the 2018 Met Gala, Burning Man 2018, Coachella 2018, the 2018 Grammy Awards, Super Bowl LII and a Cleveland Cavaliers game that would include a team dinner with Lebron James.

‘Mr. McFarland is a serial fraudster plain and simple,’ prosecutor Kristy Greenberg told the judge this week.

His Fyre Festival, which cost between $1,200 and $250,000 to attend, hit the headlines last year after McFarland’s highly anticipated festival for wealthy millennials, Instagram influencers and celebs was cancelled on the first day.  

Rapper Ja Rule and McFarland are pictured together far right. They were hit with a number of lawsuits amid claims they duped hundreds by failing to deliver on the hyped event

Rapper Ja Rule and McFarland are pictured together far right. They were hit with a number of lawsuits amid claims they duped hundreds by failing to deliver on the hyped event

Attendees also shared photos of horrific conditions at the campsite, which many compared to a refugee camp, which was overrun wild wild dogs, trash, and had few toilets or fresh water.

Despite shelling out thousands of dollars, many were left stranded and when they demanded their money back, were met with excused.

He was arrested in 2017 and pleaded guilty to the Fyre Festival fraud in March this year.

Now investigators say that while he was on pretrial release, McFarland targeted festival attendees in a new scam, to get them to buy tickets to exclusive events including the 2018 Met Gala. Those tickets never existed, prosecutors said.

The court heard that McFarland even used a spreadsheet identifying the richest Fyre Festival attendees so he knew who to target.

On Tuesday, McFarland was charged – he denies the new charges.

McFarland previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges connected with the Festival in March in a deal that called for him to serve between eight and 10 years in prison, although he has requested leniency with no incarceration.

The plea pertained to the bungled spring 2017 Fyre Festival on the Bahamian island of Exuma that cost over 80 investors a total of $26 million.



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