Filmmaker jailed for defrauding Netflix of millions

Filmmaker Carl Rinsch will serve 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release following his conviction for a multi-million dollar fraud scheme targeting Netflix. The sentence was handed down by a New York judge on Monday, June 29. Rinsch was also ordered to pay $11 million in forfeiture.

Between 2018 and 2019, Netflix provided Rinsch with $44 million for a sci-fi series. In March 2020, he received an additional $11 million, which he was supposed to use to complete the show. However, Rinsch lost over half of this amount within two months through speculative cryptocurrency investments.

Rinsch further spent the remaining funds on personal expenses, including over $1.7 million on credit cards, more than $3.3 million on furniture and antiques, and significant amounts on luxury items like a Swiss watch and several high-end cars.

The unfinished series, titled "White Horse," never saw completion. Rinsch was arrested in March 2025 and convicted in December on multiple charges, including wire fraud and money laundering. The sentence aims to deter similar fraudulent activities.

Notably, actor Keanu Reeves, who collaborated with Rinsch on "47 Ronin," submitted a letter of support prior to sentencing. Reeves described Rinsch as an exceptional artist and expressed hope for leniency, emphasizing his perspective as an artistic peer and friend, while acknowledging the seriousness of Rinsch's found actions.