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Carl Rinsch, a Hollywood director known for the 2013 film '47 Ronin', has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for defrauding Netflix out of $11 million. The sentencing took place on Monday (June 29) in New York, where Rinsch was also handed three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to Netflix. He was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering, and illegal transactions in December 2025.
Rinsch's fraudulent activities involved securing $11 million from Netflix under the pretense of completing a sci-fi series titled 'White Horse', later renamed 'Conquest'. Instead of producing the series, he diverted the funds to personal accounts, spending lavishly on luxury cars, high-end mattresses, and speculative investments in stocks and cryptocurrency. According to The Wrap, Rinsch gambled millions on Gilead, a pharmaceutical company, and made risky bets on cryptocurrency.
Despite the prosecution's push for a five-year sentence, Judge Jed Rakoff sentenced Rinsch to 30 months, citing his mental health struggles. Rinsch, 48, acknowledged his wrongdoing, stating, "I failed to recognize the danger of the state I was in." His defense team argued that his behavior was influenced by mental health issues and medication problems, which he is now addressing.
Rinsch's legal team sought leniency, supported by letters from friends and colleagues, including actor Keanu Reeves. Reeves, who starred in '47 Ronin', wrote to the court, asking for "leniency and mercy" for Rinsch, describing him as an "exceptional artist" and acknowledging his tendency to "self-sabotage."
Rinsch is out on a $100,000 bond and is due to begin his sentence in September. Netflix has declined to comment on the sentencing. The director's legal team plans to appeal the case, hoping for a reduction in the sentence.