Fyre Festival Designer Discusses Scammers on Social Media

Published on Wednesday, 30 April 2025 16:24

Oren Aks, the former social media designer for Fyre Festival, recently spoke out about the role social media plays in elevating the profiles of individuals associated with criminal behavior. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Aks highlighted how social media has contributed to the glorification of figures like Fyre Festival creator Billy McFarland. Also, notorious scam artist Anna Delvey Sorokin, and UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione.

The Role of Social Media in Idolizing Controversial Figures

Aks pointed out that social media platforms have made it easier for people like McFarland, Sorokin, and Mangione to gain fame despite their criminal backgrounds. He noted that social media users tend to focus on the narrative surrounding these individuals, often elevating them to iconic status, regardless of their actions.

“We look at them like they’re iconic, like, ‘Oh what’s she wearing to court?’ And … at a certain point, you’re just more obsessed with them as this narrative that you’ve built rather than who they actually are. … If you met Billy, you wouldn’t be impressed,” …… “It used to be … this inspirational route you would take in your career to kind of move up a ladder or earn a living and buy a house or something. Now, we vilify those people, and we glorify the bad, the scammy, the evil, and we look at those people as heroes,”

• Oren Aks

Reflection on the Fyre Festival Experience

Aks also reflected on his time working for the ill-fated Fyre Festival in 2017. He recalled the warning signs that the event was doomed from the start. He mentioned logistical issues and lack of preparation as red flags, which became evident when he arrived at the site and saw FEMA-style tents set up for the festival. Despite this, he believed the event would still go on smoothly until the reality set in.

“When we arrived, the point where it really hit me was actually … going over this hill and kind of descending into the valley where the beach area, where the festival was taking place, and seeing the tents and the actual media center stage area and … nothing was there,”…. “In my brain, the logistics didn’t work out, but I just assumed that’s just not my territory. I’m the graphic designer. I’m sure they’ve got like an architect or … someone dealing with that. But then I saw the FEMA or the U.N.-style tents, and that was the moment it all hit.”

• – Oren Aks

The Fall and Future of the Fyre Festival Brand

After the failure of the original Fyre Festival, McFarland launched Fyre Festival 2, which was postponed weeks before its scheduled start in May 2025. McFarland has since announced plans to sell the Fyre Festival brand, including its trademarks, intellectual property, and digital assets. Listen to Oren Aks’s message here.

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