Lauge Risom Koch 
According to the Associated Press, director Carl Rinsch has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after being convicted of defrauding Netflix out of $11 million intended for the unfinished series White Horse.
Hollywood director Carl Rinsch has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after being convicted of defrauding Netflix out of $11 million intended for an unfinished science fiction series, according to the Associated Press.
The filmmaker, best known for directing 47 Ronin, was convicted in December on federal wire fraud and other charges.
Prison sentence
According to the Associated Press, Rinsch, 48, admitted in court that his actions had caused harm but said they were influenced by mental health and medication issues.
“This process has forced me to confront things about my health, my judgment and my life,” Rinsch said.
“I failed to recognize the danger of the state I was in.”
Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence, arguing that Rinsch acted out of “naked greed.”
Netflix funds
According to the Associated Press, prosecutors said Netflix initially paid about $44 million to produce the series White Horse before providing an additional $11 million in 2020 after Rinsch claimed he needed more money to complete production.
Instead, prosecutors said he transferred the funds into a personal account, lost roughly half through unsuccessful investments and later spent the remaining money on luxury items, including five Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari, designer watches, clothing and household goods.
Judge Jed S. Rakoff said Rinsch’s mental health issues “may explain some of the excesses” but did not change the court’s conclusion that he intentionally deceived Netflix.
Support and appeal
Actor Keanu Reeves, who worked with Rinsch on 47 Ronin, asked the court for leniency in a letter submitted before sentencing.
According to the Associated Press, Reeves described the director as someone who brings “exceptional joy and warmth” to others, while acknowledging he could “self-sabotage.”
Rinsch, who is due to report to prison in September, also owes roughly $11 million in restitution. His lawyers said they plan to appeal the conviction.
Netflix declined to comment on the sentence.
Sources: Associated Press
