Part 4/5:
McFarland’s confidence may be seen as bravado, given the events of 2017. The first iteration of the Fire Festival ended in a shambles, with attendees facing severe food shortages and substandard accommodations that sharply contrasted with the luxurious experience promised in marketing campaigns. This debacle not only tarnished McFarland's reputation but also led to his legal troubles; he was charged with wire fraud in connection to the failed festival and subsequently sentenced to six years in prison, of which he spent a portion in a halfway house before being released in 2022.