Feds Indict ‘47 Ronin' Director Who Scammed Netflix Out Of Millions For Never-Made TV Series

Federal prosecutors have indicted Carl Rinsch for allegedly ripping off Netflix for $11 million for a long promised sci-fi series that was never made.
In a case with Keanu Reeves cameos, some bad crypto deals, a pledge to be able to control lightening, five Rolls-Royces and a scathing portrait of an industry drunk on its own content needs, the 47 Ronin director is looking at likely the rest of his life behind bars if found guilty. 'Carl Rinsch allegedly stole more than $11 million from a prominent streaming platform to finance lavish purchases and personal investments instead of completing a promised television series,' FBI Assistant Director Leslie Backschies said Tuesday of Netflix a.k.a 'Streaming Company-1' in the 12-page indictment, as the indictment was made pubic. 'The FBI will continue to reel in any individual who seeks to defraud businesses.'
More from Deadline
'Adolescence' Leads Netflix TV Charts In Debut Week; 'Back In Action' Secures Spot On Most Popular Film List
'Sirens': Netflix Reveals Premiere Date, First-Look Images For Limited Series Starring Julianne Moore
Gabrielle Dennis & Michael Potts Join Courtney A. Kemp's Netflix Crime Drama 'Nemesis' As Series Regulars
Arrested today in L.A., the 47-year-old Rinsch is 'charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and five counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison,' according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York.
In ways that seem almost impossible to imagine in this era of leaner budgets, more streamlined needs and less production overall, Rinsch's alleged conduct and crimes would make a pretty good six-episode series on a streamer, or a Netflix True Crime documentary.
After burning through $44 million of the streamer's cash for 'White Horse' and holding final-cut power, Rinsch demanded another $11 million off the company in 2020. The director said the funds were for various and pre-and post-production' needs to complete the series., Having seen next to nothing since Cindy Holland scooped up White Horse, renamed Conquest, from Amazon in 2018 for over $61 million, Netflix gave the director the money with what one assumes was a hope and a prayer.
A year later, with absolutely nothing to show for it but aggravation, Netflix pulled the plug on the project. The streamer later wrote off over $55 million in costs. Netflix won a $12 million arbitration ruling against Rinsch last year after the filmmaker claimed that the company actually owned him $14 million. Rinsch doesn't seem to have paid up.
Before all this ended up in court, the filmmaker took Netflix's cash that had been deposited in a bank account in the name of the 'Rinsch Company' and moved it around to a variety of other accounts and locations. After a slew of bad market trades, Rinsch blew through around half the $11 million in less than a year. Regaling Netflix execs with tales that White Horse/Conquest was 'awesome and moving forward really well,' Rinsch then went on a spending spree.
The inventory put together by SDNY prosecutors and the Kash Patel-run FBI listed a real champagne tastes and caviar dreams mentality.
Rinsch used the money he had left 'to speculate on cryptocurrency, and on personal expenses and luxury items, including approximately $1,787,000 on credit card bills; approximately $1,073,000 on lawyers to sue Streaming Company-1 for even more money, and for lawyers related to his divorce; approximately $395,000 to stay at the Four Seasons hotel and at various luxury rental properties; approximately $3,787,000 on furniture and antiques, including approximately $638,000 to purchase two mattresses and approximately $295,000 on luxury bedding and linens; approximately $2,417,000 to purchase five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari; and approximately $652,000 on watches and clothing.'
With Rinsch set to go before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff Tuesday, Netflix had no comment on today's indictment when contacted by Deadline.
Best of Deadline
James Mangold's 'A Complete Unknown': Everything We Know About The Bob Dylan Biopic So Far
2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Epic Universe: The Latest Images Of The New Universal Orlando Theme Park

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hypebeast

2 hours ago

• Hypebeast

恐龍全面統治地球？《侏羅紀世界：重生 Jurassic World Rebirth》最新宣傳預告來襲

Universal Pictures 打造《侏羅紀世界 Jurassic World》全新續集《侏羅紀世界：重生 Jurassic World Rebirth》繼上月發布終極預告之後，今番再公開全新宣傳預告，預計於 7 月 2 日正式上映。 全新宣傳預告展示了本集多種充滿威脅的恐龍種類，包含一隻變種恐龍，其中包括六肢的「Distortus Rex」以及在預告片頭登場的「Mutadon」，展示了來自 InGen 最黑暗的實驗生物。 本片劇情講述《Jurassic World: Dominion》中的事件發生的五年後，地球的生態系統絕大部分的地方已被證明不再適合讓恐龍居住。倖存的恐龍只能在赤道附近孤立的環境中生存，這些地方的氣候和牠們曾經繁衍興盛的環境類似。在這個熱帶生物圈之中，有三隻體積最龐大的恐龍體內含有一種關鍵性成分，能夠用來製造一種能為人類帶來奇蹟般地回生續命功效的藥物。 本片由 Gareth Edwards 執導，1993 年原版《Jurassic World》編劇 David Koepp 回鍋撰寫劇本，主演包括 Scarlett Johansson、Jonathan Bailey、Mahershala Ali、Philippine Velge、Luna Blaise、David Iacono、Ed Skrein 等人，預計於 2025 年 7 月 2 日正式上映。 >《我的英雄學院》動畫最終季正式預告放送 >Netflix 人氣動漫《坂本日常 SAKAMOTO DAYS》第一季 Part 2 第二回預告公開 >《馴龍高手/馴龍記 How to Train Your Dragon》真人版改編電影全球首週票房正式出爐

Hypebeast

2 hours ago

• Hypebeast

生涯首座小金人！Tom Cruise 獲頒奧斯卡終身成就獎

本文看點 美國電影藝術與科學學院（The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences）近日公布了第 16 屆「學院主席獎 Governors Awards」的得獎名單，這個獎項旨在表彰對電影界做出卓越貢獻的人士。今年，全球巨星Tom Cruise、開創性編舞家兼演員 Debbie Allen 以及富有遠見的製作設計師 Wynn Thomas 都將獲頒奧斯卡終身成就獎。此外，鄉村音樂傳奇人物 Dolly Parton 則將獲頒 Jean Hersholt 人道獎，頒獎典禮將於 2025 年 11 月 16 日在洛杉磯 Ray Dolby 宴會廳舉行，屆時不會進行電視轉播。 對於 Tom Cruise 而言，這將是他從影超過 40 來來首次獲得奧斯卡獎，此前他曾 4 度獲得奧斯卡提名，包括《Born on the Fourth of July》、《Jerry Maguire》、《Magnolia》和《Top Gun: Maverick》的演出與製片工作，但始終與競爭性獎項擦身而過。影藝學院主席 Janet Yang 讚揚 Cruise「對電影製作社群、戲院觀影體驗以及特技界的巨大貢獻」，強調他對大銀幕視覺效果的堅定不移，以及在推廣戲院上映方面的影響力。 除了 Tom Cruise，多才多藝的 Debbie Allen 也將因其在舞蹈、電影和電視領域的廣泛影響力而受獎；同時，Wynn Thomas 對於電影視覺敘事的貢獻也將獲得表彰。 >Netflix 人氣影集《睡魔 The Sandman》最終第 2 季最新預告正式來襲 >恐龍全面統治地球？《侏羅紀世界：重生 Jurassic World Rebirth》最新宣傳預告來襲

Los Angeles Times

2 hours ago

• Los Angeles Times

Man opened fire outside Michigan church before staff fatally shot him, averting mass shooting, police say

WAYNE, Mich. — A man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshipers Sunday was struck by a vehicle and then fatally shot by security staff who averted a potential mass shooting, police said. Churchgoers attending a morning service at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne spotted a man driving recklessly and then saw him exit his car wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and a handgun, Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said at an evening news conference. The man began firing as he approached the church, striking one person in the leg, Strong said. 'A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly,' Strong told reporters. 'At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing the fatal wounds.' Police described the suspect as a 31-year-old white male with no known connection to the church. His motive remains unclear, but it appears he was suffering from a mental health crisis, Strong said. The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. in Wayne, a city of about 17,000 people about 25 miles west of Detroit. The person who was shot in the leg was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the chief said. Nobody else besides the gunman was hurt. Strong said a church member ran the suspect over with his pickup truck, giving security staff time to shoot him. 'We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church's staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting,' the chief said. About 150 people were inside the church at the time. The church's website says it hosts a worship service on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. Worshiper Wendy Bodin said that she heard a loud boom and that when she looked outside, she saw a man sprawled out on the grass in front of the church. 'I thought he got hit or crashed his car or was hurt,' Bodin told WXYZ-TV. 'And another lady saw and pointed to me and said, 'Oh, my, call 911!'' Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter III said hours later that it was too early to know a motive. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino tweeted that bureau 'leadership and support teams' were at the scene and helping with the investigation. Messages left by the Associated Press on Sunday by voicemail and on a Facebook page for the church were not immediately returned. Sancya and Ramer write for the Associated Press and reported from Wayne and Concord, N.Y., respectively. AP writer Todd Richmond in Madison, Wis., and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.