How a supermodel-backed music festival spiraled into a $100 million lawsuit

Instead of dancing on the white sand beaches of Great Exuma in the Bahamas, Fyre Festival attendees found themselves stranded in airports, some without any food or water, unable to get home.

The three-day party, organized by Ja Rule and tech entrepreneur Billy McFarland‘s company, Fyre Media, was supposed to take place on a private beach in the Bahamas for two weekends, April 28-30 and May 5-7.

But guests, who had spent between $1,200 and $100,000 on tickets (and some who spent more than $200,000), described the festival as a “complete disaster,” with half-built tents, delayed flights, and no one around to help.

Now the event’s organizers, rapper Ja Rule and tech entrepreneur Billy McFarland of Magnisesand Fyre Media, are facing a new lawsuit filed by celebrity trial lawyer Mark Geragos. The suit was filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California on Sunday, and Geragos is reportedly seeking class-action status with an anticipated 150 participants.

It was brought in California by plaintiff Daniel Jung, who is suing for fraud, breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith, and negligent misrepresentation on the part of the organizers, totaling at least $100 million in damages.

Here’s how it all went down:

The three-day party was supposed to be on a private beach on the island of Great Exuma in the Bahamas.

A host of supermodels had promoted it on social media, including Hailey Baldwin, Emily Ratajkowski, and Bella Hadid.

Major artists were planning to headline the party.

Some guests spent several thousands of dollars on tickets, which included accommodations and flights to the island.

But when they arrived, it was a very different scene.

Blink-182, who were supposed to headline the festival, had dropped out.

The accommodations were not as luxurious as expected.

Many of the tents hadn’t been put up.

Early report is that many ofthe tents aren’t assembled. Here’s their tropical privateisland owned by Escobar! #FyreFestivalpic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJ

— FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27,2017

Early report is that many ofthe tents aren’t assembled. Here’s their tropical privateisland owned by Escobar! #FyreFestivalpic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJ

#FyreFestivalpic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJApril 27,2017

There were also problems with luggage delivery.

And no one was around to help.

The concierge hadn’t yet been built.

The festival claimed to offer gourmet food.

But guests said they were given bread, cheese, and salads without dressing.

A notebook that a guest said belonged to an organizer had haphazard notes for what looks like a food order.

According to The Wall Street Journal, issues with the festival had been brewing since the start of April, as organizers missed a series of deadlines to make advance payments to performers. The sheer size and complexity of putting this festival together had proved problematic, and many of the organizers were not experienced enough to deal with it, they said.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

The artists were eventually paid by the festival’s hosts, Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, who were then looking for outside investment to help pay for it, according to The Journal.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal

Some guests were oblivious to these early warning signs. “If everything goes as advertised, it’s going to be sick,” a ticket-holder told The Journal.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

During the chaos, organizers updated the website, saying they would send guests back to Miami.

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But many guests ended up stranded at the airport.

One guest described how she was kept in a room without food or water, waiting for a flight to take off. She said a person fainted because the conditions were so bad.

We have been locked indoorswith no air NO FOOD and NO water #fyrefestival#fyrefestfyrefraud pic.twitter.com/wg5pZmSvnx

— Lamaan (@LamaanGallal) April28, 2017

We have been locked indoorswith no air NO FOOD and NO water #fyrefestival#fyrefestfyrefraud pic.twitter.com/wg5pZmSvnx

#fyrefestival#fyrefestpic.twitter.com/wg5pZmSvnxApril28, 2017

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism even weighed in.

The event’s organizers, entrepreneur Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule, are now the target of a lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages.

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