A Texas man named Eugene Farrell thought he finessed the free opportunity of a lifetime by “sneaking” into the FIFA World Cup semifinal match between France and Spain on July 14.
Just over two weeks later, though, Farrell found himself sitting in the Tarrant County Jail after his video documenting his experience at the World Cup game went viral.
It was a roller coaster of emotions for Farrell, who thought his plan to see the World Cup match, which had resale tickets for over $1,300 the morning of the event, went smoothly at first.
Farrell secured a job at AT&T Stadium (renamed Dallas Stadium for the World Cup) in Arlington, Texas, as a ticket taker for the France-Spain game.
Once inside, Farrell showed in his initial viral video that he ditched his work uniform so he could enjoy the game.
Eventual World Cup champion Spain defeated France 2-0 to advance, and everything was fine for Farrell until, he says, police knocked at his door to arrest him for alleged theft on July 31.
Farrell remained in jail until Aug. 2, when he was released on a $3,500 bond, according to jail records. He explained the disappointing turn of events in a video on his Instagram, which can be seen below.
Be warned, the video does contain NSFW language.
If convicted of this crime, Farrell could face up to two years in prison depending on the amount of the alleged theft determined in the case.
To make matters worse, Farrell said his roommate kicked him out of the home he was living in due to the arrest; the company that helped him land the ticket taker job at the World Cup game also fired him from his other employment opportunity, he says.
Farrell started a GoFundMe page with the initial hope of raising $1,100 to drive from Texas to North Carolina, where he says he will live with his aunt while he gets back on his feet.
“Over the past few weeks, life has thrown a lot my way,” Farrell wrote on his GoFundMe page. “I lost my main source of income and have been working DoorDash and temporary jobs just to stay afloat.
“On top of that, I’m dealing with a pending legal case and waiting to meet with a public defender. Through all of this, I’ve tried to keep going and share my story honestly, hoping it might help someone else who’s struggling.
“Thankfully, my aunt has opened her home to me in Gastonia, North Carolina. I truly believe this is my chance to catch my breath and rebuild my life. Instead of worrying every day about where the next dollar is coming from, I’ll have a safe place to stay while I find work, handle my legal obligations, and continue creating content.”
Hopefully, better things are ahead for Farrell, who unfortunately learned the hard way that going viral is sometimes way more trouble than it is worth.
