Keanu Reeves plays key role in Carl Rinsch's Netflix fraud sentencing

Director Carl Rinsch has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after being convicted of defrauding Netflix out of nearly $11 million intended for an unfinished science fiction series.

The filmmaker – best known for directing 47 Ronin – received the sentence from a federal judge in New York on Monday.

The prison term was half of the five years requested by prosecutors after the court took into account evidence related to Rinsch’s mental health and several character references, including one from actor Keanu Reeves.

Carl Rinsch was convicted in December on wire fraud and money laundering charges tied to Netflix’s never-completed sci-fi project White Horse, also known as Conquest.

Prosecutors said he diverted millions of dollars that had been allocated for production, using much of the money for cryptocurrency investments before spending additional funds on luxury purchases, including several Rolls-Royce vehicles.

Addressing the court before sentencing, Rinsch admitted he had made serious mistakes.

“I made a mistake,” he said. “This process has forced me to confront things about myself that I never fully understood before.”

His attorney, Daniel McGuinness, argued that the director had been struggling with untreated mental health issues during the production of the series. According to the defense, Rinsch has since completed treatment and has begun addressing those challenges.

Keanu Reeves’ letter:

Among the character references considered by the court was a letter from Keanu Reeves, who developed a friendship with Rinsch while working on 47 Ronin. The actor wrote that he had participated in an effort to encourage Rinsch to seek professional mental health treatment in 2019, though those attempts were unsuccessful at the time.

Keanu Reeves also expressed his belief that Rinsch’s mental health had been negatively affected by medication misuse and other personal issues, which contributed to his inability to complete the Netflix project.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Carl Rinsch to pay approximately $11 million in restitution to Netflix, participate in outpatient mental health treatment after his release, and refrain from using narcotics and other illegal drugs.