Hollywood director Carl Rinsch, accused of defrauding Netflix, which had hired him to create a science fiction series, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, the Manhattan federal prosecutor’s office announced Monday.
Known for the samurai film starring Keanu Reeves “47 Ronin” (2013), Mr. Rinsch signed with the streaming platform in 2018 for a project called “White Horse”.
Netflix paid him $44 million between 2018 and 2019, then an additional $11 million in March 2020.
With these $11 million, Mr. Rinsch “took risky bets on highly speculative stock options and cryptocurrencies” and treated himself to “luxury items,” including five Rolls Royces and a Ferrari, prosecutor Jay Clayton said in a statement.
His sentence also includes three years of probation, the forfeiture of $11 million and the payment of a $700 fine.
The 48-year-old director was found guilty of fraud and money laundering after his trial in December 2025.
In a court document filed to help determine his sentence, his defense explained that the facts occurred against a backdrop of “tremendous pressure” at work and an “incredibly divisive” divorce.
Actor Keanu Reeves also wrote to the judge to request his “indulgence” and “mercy” towards his “friend” Carl Rinsch, whom he describes as an “exceptional artist” but capable of “self-sabotage” by trying to do too much.
