Carl Rinsch, who directed Keanu Reeves action film 47 Ronin, was convicted on fraud and money laundering charges
A Hollywood director was convicted Thursday on charges that he scammed Netflix out of $11m for a show that never materialized, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about $1m in mattresses and luxury bedding.
Carl Rinsch, best known for directing the film 47 Ronin starring Keanu Reeves, was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering and other charges, according to court records and a spokesperson for federal prosecutors in New York.
In a statement, Rinsch’s attorney, Benjamin Zeman, said he thought the verdict was wrong and “could set a dangerous precedent for artists who become embroiled in contractual and creative disputes with their benefactors, in this case one of the largest media companies in the world, finding themselves indicted by the federal government for fraud”.
Prosecutors said Netflix had initially paid Rinsch about $44m for an unfinished sci-fi show called White Horse, and then sent over an another $11m after he said he needed additional funding to wrap up the production.
