US director Carl Rinsch sentenced to 30 months for defrauding Netflix

American director Carl Rinsch, known for the 2013 film “47 Ronin,” received a 30-month prison sentence on Monday for defrauding Netflix of millions of dollars. Prosecutors in New York announced the conviction, stating Rinsch misappropriated $11 million provided by the streaming platform in 2020.

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Instead of using the money to make the show, Rinsch made risky bets on highly speculative stock options and cryptocurrency, and spent millions of dollars on luxury goods for himself.

The funds were intended for the creation of a science fiction series titled “White Horse.” However, instead of producing the show, Rinsch allegedly made risky bets on speculative stock options and cryptocurrency. He also reportedly spent millions on personal luxury items, including a red Ferrari and five Rolls-Royces, according to U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York.

Rinsch, 48, was ordered to forfeit the $11 million in addition to his prison term. His defense team had argued for leniency, citing career pressures and a contentious divorce as factors contributing to the misuse of funds.

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under the enormity of pressure and during an incredibly contentious divorce.

While Netflix was not explicitly named by prosecutors, court documents indicated Rinsch was involved in a dispute with the company over the planned series, which was later renamed “Conquest.” The show was intended to focus on a scientist creating powerful clones who conflict with humans in a Brazilian city. Keanu Reeves, who starred in Rinsch's directorial debut, wrote a letter to the judge seeking leniency for Rinsch, describing him as an "exceptional artist" prone to "self-sabotage."

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an exceptional artist who was prone to self-sabotage.