#JaRule has been cleared from fraud claims made against him in a class action lawsuit brought forward by #FyreFestival goers.
Ja Rule and Fyre Fest chief marketing officer Grant Margolin, were accused in the suit of organizing and promoting the disastrous event while knowing it was a scam, but the judge seems to believe Ja Rule wasn’t in on the ‘scam’.
Judge Kevin Castel wrote in a 32-page decision in Manhattan Federal Court that Ja Rule bragging about the festival being lit months in advance did not mean that he knew it would devolve into a crisis, according to the @nydailynews.
“(Ja Rule) and Margolin were participants in organizing or promoting a large-scale event. There is no assertion that the Festival when first conceived or introduced to the public was intended not to go forward or that defendants intended not to perform by organizing the advertised amenities and accommodation,” Castel wrote.
The judge also quoted Ja Rule’s tweet about the festival in the ruling: “I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead astray!!!”
Ja Rule’s attorney spoke on his behalf following the ruling.
“(Ja Rule) is thankful for today’s ruling and for the Court’s time and attention. Justice was done today,” his attorney Ryan Smith said.
The festival-goers tried to use posts on Ja Rule’s Instagram account promoting the Fyre Festival showing models in bikinis to make their case.
“Fyre Festival looks set to be the biggest FOMO-inducing event of 2017…The Debrief: Think Coachella x1000 and You’re Still Not Even Close,” the post read, referencing the popular California music festival.
In case y’all don’t remember, Fyre Fest founder Billy McFarland is serving six years in prison for the debacle and has been ordered to forfeit $26 million for defrauding investors in the festival, among other schemes.
The event was promoted as a “life-changing experience” with top notch food, accommodations and entertainment, but music fans arrived on a remote island to find a lack of water, food and shelter.
We’ll keep you posted on any updates, Roommates.
TSR STAFF: Christina C! @cdelafresh
