Hollywood director Carl Rinsch was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison for stealing $11 million from Netflix. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff of the Federal District Court in Manhattan ordered Rinsch, 48, to repay the full amount to the streaming company, and to undergo outpatient mental health treatment and halt narcotics use.
Prosecutors stated that Netflix initially paid Rinsch approximately $44 million for a science fiction series. He later received an additional $11 million after claiming a need for more funding. Instead, Rinsch allegedly deposited a significant portion of this money into a personal brokerage account, where a series of unsuccessful investments led to the loss of about half of the funds within a few months.
Netflix canceled the show's development in early 2021 due to Rinsch's increasingly erratic behavior. Following the cancellation, prosecutors said Rinsch embarked on a spending spree, staying in five-star hotels in California and Spain, and purchasing five Rolls-Royces and a Ferrari. Court records indicate he spent roughly $1 million on luxury bedding and mattresses, $652,000 on watches and clothing, and used $1.8 million to pay off credit card debts.
Rinsch was arrested in March 2025 on charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and engaging in transactions derived from illegal activity. He faced a potential sentence of up to 90 years to life if all charges had been served consecutively.
Judge Rakoff's sentencing decision was reportedly influenced by character testimony provided by figures including actor Keanu Reeves. Reeves, known for his roles in "The Matrix" and "John Wick" franchises, met Rinsch on the set of the 2013 film "47 Ronin." In a letter to the court, Reeves described Rinsch as a friend whose mental health may have been compromised by medication misuse and other issues, contributing to self-sabotage and grandiosity. Reeves expressed hope that the sentence would be tempered with leniency and mercy.
Reeves, who was an investor in Rinsch's Netflix project and served as a producer, was reportedly present at an intervention for Rinsch at the director's Los Angeles home. During the intervention, a behavioral health consultant attempted to persuade Rinsch to enter a rehabilitation program.