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'Socialite Grifter' Anna Delvey Reportedly Squatted In Fyre Fest Founder Billy McFarland's Office
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 23, 2018
Modified Jul 23, 2018
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Joe Schildhorn/BFA/Shutterstock
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 23, 2018
Modified Jul 23, 2018
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The amazing stories of two infamous NYC grifters are apparently entwined: Page Six is now reporting that Billy McFarland, the hapless founder of the Fyre Festival, was actually once scammed by Anna Sorokin, who allegedly posed as a socialite to bilk friends and strangers out of hundreds of thousands.
McFarland has pleaded guilty to fraud connected to the disastrous April 2017 Fyre Festival, which saw him promising a destination concert festival in the Bahamas with luxurious accommodations and delicious food. Once attendees landed in the Exumas, they found emergency tents and no musical acts, and McFarland eventually admitted to getting investors to pump $26 million into the ill-fated experience and his own company. While awaiting his sentencing, the feds accused McFarland of running another scam, this time selling VIP tickets (that didn't exist) to events like the Met Gala and Coachella.
Delvey has been in custody since being arrested last year on fraud charges from the Manhattan DA's office, but became the source of fascination after two features on her machinations outlined how she B.S.'d her way into hotel suites for extended stays and trips to Europe for fashion shows by posing as a German heiress. A judge recently criticized Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, for caring more about who might be cast on rumored Hollywood adaptations of her misdeeds than showing remorse.
According to Page Six, "[W]e hear that New York’s most beloved swindlers went head-to-head back in 2013 when Sorokin — who managed to stay at high-end hotels such as 11 Howard for months before being discovered — moved into the Wooster Street headquarters of McFarland’s dubious credit-card company Magnises for four months."
“Anna knew people on Billy’s team,” explains an insider. “She just asked to stay for a few days … then she wouldn’t leave.”
Magnises — which McFarland once notoriously said is “Latin for absolutely nothing” — produced “black cards” linked to members’ regular credit-card accounts. It also threw bashes at the Soho loft.
“She hung out and went to the parties,” says the source. “She was there, just sitting there — all the time.”
Our source says McFarland — who is awaiting sentencing, scheduled for Thursday, after pleading guilty to fraud for duping investors in his failed 2017 music fest — is actually a “polite and nonconfrontational” person who was only able to “hint” that he wanted Sorokin to leave.
Shonda Rhimes is currently working on a Netflix series about Delvey, while Hulu has been filming a documentary about McFarland. We can't wait for the crossover episode.
Tagged
anna delvey
anna sorokin
billy McFarland
fyre festival
grifter
scam
william mcfarland
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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