Netflix fraud sends Hollywood director to prison

Hollywood director Carl Rinsch, who was accused of defrauding Netflix after being hired to create a science fiction series, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan announced Monday, AFP reports.

Best known for directing the samurai film 47 Ronin, starring Keanu Reeves, Rinsch signed a contract with Netflix in 2018 for a project titled White Horse, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

Netflix paid him $44 million between 2018 and 2019, followed by an additional $11 million in March 2020.

According to U.S. prosecutors, Rinsch used the additional $11 million to make high-risk bets on highly speculative stock options and cryptocurrencies, while also purchasing luxury items, including five Rolls-Royce vehicles and a Ferrari.

In addition to the prison sentence, he received three years of supervised release, was ordered to forfeit $11 million, and pay a $700 special assessment.

The 48-year-old director was convicted of fraud and money laundering at the conclusion of his trial in December 2025.

In a court filing submitted ahead of sentencing, Rinsch's defense argued that the offenses occurred during a period of immense professional pressure and an extremely contentious divorce.

Keanu Reeves wrote to the judge asking for leniency toward his "friend" Carl Rinsch, describing him as an "exceptional artist" who is nevertheless capable of self-destructive behavior.

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