Overview
- A Manhattan federal judge sentenced Carl Rinsch to 30 months in prison for diverting an $11 million Netflix payment meant to finish the sci‑fi series White Horse.
- The court also ordered roughly $11 million in restitution, three years of supervised release, and set Sept. 1, 2026, as Rinsch’s surrender date.
- Prosecutors say Rinsch moved the Netflix funds into personal accounts, lost about half in risky options trades, converted more than $4 million into Dogecoin and later spent trading profits on luxury cars and goods.
- Federal prosecutors had recommended a five‑year term and framed the scheme as deliberate theft and money laundering, while the defense presented testimony and character letters about untreated mental‑health issues, including a letter from Keanu Reeves.
- The sentence closes a criminal case that follows a jury conviction in December 2025 and an arbitration loss to Netflix, and it raises questions about oversight of large streamer production payments and financial controls in Hollywood.