Hollywood director Carl Rinsch was arrested on March 19, 2025, in West Hollywood on charges of wire fraud and money laundering after allegedly misusing $11 million from Netflix intended for a sci-fi series .
The Charges
Rinsch, best known for directing “47 Ronin” starring Keanu Reeves, was charged with defrauding Netflix out of funds allocated for his sci-fi series “White Horse.” The 47-year-old director faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the wire fraud charge, with additional potential time for money laundering and other related charges .
The Alleged Scheme
According to court documents, Rinsch received $44 million from Netflix to produce his sci-fi series “White Horse” in 2018. In late 2019, he requested an additional $11 million, which Netflix agreed to provide contingent on the completion of the series .
Instead of using these funds for production purposes, prosecutors allege that Rinsch:
- Transferred the money to personal accounts
- Engaged in high-risk financial trading, including cryptocurrency and stock options
- Lost over half the funds within two months of receiving them
- Spent $2.4 million on five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari
- Spent $3.7 million on furniture and antiques
- Spent $652,000 on watches and clothing
- Spent $638,000 on two luxury mattresses
- Spent $295,000 on luxury bedding and linens
The Investigation
The investigation revealed that despite completing six short episodes, Rinsch never delivered the full series to Netflix as contracted. The streaming giant ultimately lost millions on the project that never came to fruition .
Industry Reaction
This case has sparked renewed discussions about financial oversight in big-budget entertainment productions and the potential for fraud when massive sums are allocated to creative projects. Industry analysts suggest this may lead to tighter financial controls and more rigorous auditing of production budgets in the future.
Rinsch posted $100,000 bail following his arrest and remains free while awaiting trial. His legal team has not yet issued a formal response to the charges.
