In April 2017, swathes of eager concertgoers converged on the tiny island of Great Exuma to attend the inaugural Fyre Festival—promoted as the premier music festival of the season. Lured by celebrity Instagram posts and endorsements, those with tickets anticipated performances by top artists, private villas, gourmet meals and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

However, what was advertised as an ultra-luxe event turned out to be anything but. “Luxury” meals were sliced-cheese sandwiches. Private villas were tents with rain-soaked carpeting. Promised artists never appeared. To the hundreds of attendees, expectations touted on social media paled in comparison to reality.