American director Carl Rinsch, best known for the 2013 film 47 Ronin, was sentenced Monday to 30 months in prison for defrauding Netflix of millions of dollars, according to prosecutors in New York. The sentence was handed down after Rinsch was convicted last year of misspending $11 million paid to him by the streaming platform in 2020 to create a science fiction series originally titled White Horse.
Misuse of Funds for Personal Gain
Instead of using the money to produce the series, Rinsch made risky bets on highly speculative stock options and cryptocurrency, and spent millions of dollars on luxury goods for himself, said US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton in a statement. Among the purchases were luxury clothing and furniture, a red Ferrari, and five Rolls-Royces. In addition to the prison term, Rinsch, 48, was ordered to forfeit $11 million.
Defense Arguments and Keanu Reeves' Support
Rinsch's lawyers had pleaded for leniency, arguing that the misuse of funds occurred under the enormity of pressure in his career and during an incredibly contentious divorce. Before sentencing, actor Keanu Reeves, who starred in 47 Ronin, wrote to the judge asking for leniency and mercy, describing Rinsch as an exceptional artist prone to self-sabotage.
Background on the Series and Legal Dispute
Although Netflix was not named by prosecutors, Rinsch was previously reported to be in a dispute with the company over the planned series, initially titled White Horse and later renamed Conquest. According to court documents, the show was meant to focus on a scientist who creates a group of powerful clones banished to a walled area in a Brazilian city, where they began developing advanced technology and came into conflict with humans and each other.
