Diplo hit with massive six-figure fine following illegal Ibiza rave

Despite urging fans not to “believe everything you read in the news” as it emerged he was being investigated for hosting an illegal rave in Ibiza last year, Diplo has been handed a €300,000 fine for the offence.

As reported by Mixmag [via Diario de Ibiza], the DJ hosted an event at Ibiza’s Cala d’Hort viewpoint overlooking the Es Vedrà island, described as a “protected area by the European Union”.

The event – for which Diplo, real name Thomas Wesley Pentz, failed to obtain the necessary permit or licence – was reportedly attended by “hundreds”.

Subsequently, local police and the Sant Josep City Council in south-west Ibiza launched an investigation, which has now been resolved with, according to Diario de Ibiza, Diplo being fined the six-figure sum by the Department of Activities.

When the investigation was launched last year, the Sant Josep City Council said it “strongly condemned” the event, which was hosted in a “natural area of special interest, among other figures of environmental protection”.

“[It is] a vulnerable area in which this type of illegal activities promote the risk of fires, noise problems, waste, etc and, of course, endanger the integrity of the people attending,” the council said.

Per The Olive Press, Diplo made numerous social media posts inviting islanders to head to the Cala d’Hort for a surprise party on 24 June, 2024.

According to Diario de Ibiza, the fine against Diplo is one of the largest issued by the island for an illegal event to date.

At the time of writing, Diplo has not commented on the fine. MusicTech has reached out to the Sant Josep City Council for comment.

Diplo is set to perform at Pacha Ibiza tonight (2 July), and will play a series of shows in North America over the rest of the year.

For a full list of dates, head to his official website.

Sam is the Associate News Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Thoroughly immersed in music culture for the majority of his life, Sam has played guitar for 20 years, studied music technology and production at university, and also written for the likes of MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Metal Hammer.