Billy McFarland may be serving out a six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to three fraud counts and lying to a federal official, but at least one person is sticking by his side – Anastasia Eremenko.
The 28-year-old Russian model revealed in the Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud that she and McFarland are dating, claiming that she met the convicted felon after his disastrous music event in the Bahamas.
‘When Billy and I met, it was destiny. It was love. I don’t know how to explain it,’ says Ermenko.
‘I never had this kind of connection. But he drew my connection just with my energy.’
She also shares a few of the prison love letters her boyfriend has sent from his new home, the Federal Correctional Institute in Otisville.
Model, inmate: Anastasia Eremenko (left) is a Russian model who began dating Billy McFarland (right) in the wake of the Fyre Festival fallout, claiming she had no idea about his past
From Russia: She has vowed to remain by his side as he serves out his six-year sentence on counts of fraud and securities (Eremenko above in the docuseries)
Magnetism: ‘When Billy and I met, it was destiny. It was love. I don’t know how to explain it,’ says Ermenko
Sunnies: There is footage of Ermenko crying on the day of McFarland’s sentencing and a number of photos of the two that appear to have been taken on the same day
In one letter to Ermenko, McFarland complains of having to shower in the sink, while in another he doodles ‘Billy loves Anastasia.’
Ermenko comments: ‘Don’t go to jail, jail sucks.’
The model also says that she was caught off guard when she learned about McFarland’s past.
‘But then I Google him, that’s when I realize he was connected to Fyre Festival. My mind, maybe my head, were saying one thing but then I had these feelings in my heart,’ she notes during the documentary.
‘He kinda explained me that some point I guess he lost the sense of reality.’
There is also footage of Ermenko crying on the day of McFarland’s sentencing and a number of photos that appear to have been taken on the same day.
A number of those are set up to look as though they are paparazzi shots.
Eremenko is still living in the city, a little over 10 years after she moved to the States at the age of 17 to get her degree.
She attended school in Delaware and then pursued modeling after graduation.
Eremenko has shot campaigns for Balmain, walked the runway for Thom Browne and appeared on the cover of Elle Fashion.
She still lives in New York City, wherein five years her new boyfriend may be able to join her.
McFarland meanwhile struggles to address many of the problems with his scam in the documentary, like his claim that he had rented millions of dollars worth of villas and mansions for the concert.
Eeremenko out in NYC last February
He said that he had receipts to prove this, but when asked why guests were not directed to these houses after arriving at Fyre Festival he claimed to have lost every single one of the keys to the multi-million dollar portfolio of real estate he had allegedly rented for attendees.
A prominent New York City event production planner claims he was ordered to perform a sex act on a government official by McFarland.
Andy King, who is the co-founder and creative director of Inward Point, reveals in the second documentary about the festival called Fyre on Netflix that days before the festival was set to kick off, McFarland was informed that customs would not release the four 18-wheeler trucks filled with Evian he had shipped to the Bahamas until a $175,000 custom fee was paid.
Unable to access that amount of cash, McFarland came up with an alternative plan, calling King on the phone and allegedly stating: ‘Well, you’re our wonderful gay leader and we need you to go down … will you suck d*** to fix this water problem?’
King says that after that call from McFarland, he showered, washed out his mouth and then drove to meet the official so that he could carry out the order.
In the end, the official told King he would release the water and accept payment at a later dater.
There is footage of Ermenko crying on the day of McFarland’s sentencing and a number of photos of the two that appear to have been taken on the same day
Speaking out: The model also shares some of their exchanges, in which McFarland complains about having to use a sink to shower in prison
DailyMail.com reached out to the FBI to see if they were aware of the request, and told that the agency would not confirm or deny that this allegation was under investigation.
The NYPD meanwhile has no jurisdiction since the offense occurred in the Bahamas, despite the fact that both men work in New York City.
McFarland is currently serving a six-year sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement officials.
King was one of McFarland’s most loyal soldiers during the planning of Fyre Festival, standing by the scammer until the very end of the disastrous event.
Eremenko said at the end of the Hulu series: ‘Don’t go to jail. Jail sucks’
He did sneak away for other work responsibilities at one point, and that was when things took a turn for the worse.
‘I had to go to Bermuda for meetings with the America’s Cup and I had missed the big meeting with customs, and of course customs had said you need to pay us $175,000 in cash today for us to release the water. I had gone down, Billy called me …. I’m going to speak completely … this won’t go far anyway,’ explains an increasingly-flustered King.
‘Billy called and said, “We need you to take one big thing for the team.”‘
King says that he immediately thought: ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve be taking something for the team every day.’
McFarland then laid out his plan.
King explained: ‘He said: “Well, you’re our wonderful gay leader and we need you to go down … will you suck d*** to fix this water problem?” And I said, “Billy, what?”
‘And he said: “Andy, if you will go down and suck [Preston] Cunningham’s d**k, who’s the head of customs, and get him to clear all the containers with water, you will save this festival.”‘
That unbelievable and seemingly illegal request was followed by another shocking revelation.
‘And I literally drove home, took a shower, drank some mouthwash and I’m like, “oh my gosh, I’m really…,”‘ begins King.
‘And I got into my car to drive across the island to take one for the team. And I got to his office, fully prepared to suck his d***.’
In the end, King and Cunningham worked out a deal that was both legal and aboveboard.
‘But he couldn’t have been nicer and he said: “Andy listen, I will release all the water, I will let you serve it, but I want to be one of the first people to be paid this import fee for what you’re doing.” And I said: “OK, great.”‘
King then closes out his tale with a bit of laughter, stating: ‘Can you imagine? In my 30 years career, this is what I was going to do. I was going to do that, honestly, to save the festival.’