Carl Rinsch Sentenced to 30 Months in $11 Million Netflix Fraud Case
Hollywood writer-director Carl Erik Rinsch was sentenced to 30 months in prison after federal prosecutors said he stole $11 million meant to complete a science-fiction television project and used the money for speculative trading and luxury purchases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said Rinsch, 48, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. Prosecutors said the money was supposed to fund completion of “White Horse,” a planned sci-fi series tied to a subscription streaming company. AP and other outlets have identified the company as Netflix.
According to DOJ, the company had already paid about $44 million between 2018 and 2019 for the project. Rinsch later sought another $11 million, which prosecutors said was transferred in March 2020 and was supposed to be spent entirely on finishing the show.
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Instead, DOJ said Rinsch moved the money through multiple accounts, placed it in a personal brokerage account and lost more than half of it on stock options in less than two months. Prosecutors said he later used remaining funds on cryptocurrency and personal expenses, including at least $3.3 million on furniture, antiques and mattresses; at least $2.4 million on five Rolls-Royces and a red Ferrari; and at least $387,000 on a Swiss watch.
The sentence also includes three years of supervised release, $11 million in forfeiture and $700 in mandatory assessments.
The case drew renewed online attention after reports that Keanu Reeves, who worked with Rinsch on “47 Ronin,” asked the court for leniency. AP reported that Rinsch’s defense cited mental-health struggles and that he plans to appeal. Netflix declined comment, according to AP.
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