Ja Rule Pleads Not Guilty To Fraud Charges In Fyre Festival Criminal Case

Today in Tha Wire, rapper/actor Ja Rule made the biggest mistake of his life when he signed on to be the co-producer of the disastrous Fyre Festival. As previously reported, the event went down last April, and was pumped-up to be the biggest music event of the year. It was billed to include first-class air travel, which was supposed to transport concert-goers to the Bahamas. There, guest were to be treated to regal airport transportation that would drop them off at a lavish oasis of luxurious accommodations. Last but not least, the biggest names in music like Lil Yachty, Blink-182, and more were advertised as being among the live entertainment.

Fyre fest tickets cost a fortune, ranging from $1500 up to an unbelievable $250,000! Imagine how guests felt when a school bus with no windows showed up to pick them up from the airport. If they didn't realize they'd been had at that point, surely they knew what time it was when they were dropped off in front of a barren beach with makeshift tents and a buffet of dry cheese sandwiches. At this time, all hell broke loose!

AllHipHop News reported fest-goers filled lawsuit after lawsuit, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. The class action suits name Fyre Fest founder, 25-year-old entrepreneur Billy McFarland, Ja, and anyone that had anything to do with the catastrophic event. The festival was actually over before it started, because several big acts backed out of performing prior to it going down. With the rest chunking the deuce, once horrified guests hit social media with their accounts of the hellish conditions.

By the time McFarland and Ja pulled the plug, the damage was done. Now it's time to pay the piper. Both the rapper and McFarland arrived in criminal court this week to answer to a laundry list of charges. AllHipHop News reports Ja plead not guilty to charges that he helped doctor financial documents in order to defraud investors. McFarland also plead not guilty this week. He is accused of wire fraud, and giving false statements to the banks that loaned him the millions to put the festival on. By the way, those banks have also filed suit looking to recoup the $1.2 million they were duped out of. What a mess!

Billy McFarland wound up being arrested over the scheme. His bail was set at $300K, but he managed to bond out and was released into his parent's custody. The young promoter will join Ja Rule in the criminal court proceeding that'll go on through the end of the year. If convicted, they will all be serving out 20 year prison sentences together.

I'll keep you posted with any details on this ignorant story, as more info becomes available. Meanwhile, tune in for the daily scoop with Tha Wire exclusively on The People's Station 107 Jamz.