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47 Ronin director Carl Erik Rinsch was sentenced Monday to 30 months in prison for defrauding Netflix out of $11 million from a deal with the company to make a sci-fi series he never delivered.
A Manhattan jury last year found Rinsch guilty of wire fraud, money laundering and multiple counts related to engaging in illegal monetary transactions. He had spent funds earmarked for a series titled White Horse on risky securities trades, using profits from those investments to sue Netflix for further payments to finish the show and purchase luxury goods.
Rinsch faced a maximum term of 90 years, with federal prosecutors recommending a 60-month prison sentence. Instead, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff issued a sentence on the lower end of the sentencing guidelines after evidence of an untreated mental health condition emerged.
“The perhaps improper medication Mr. Rinsch received may have played a role,” Rakoff said at the hearing, according to Inner City Press. “But he was determined to lie to get substantial moneys from Netflix, cover it up through money laundering and lies. That was brought home to the court by his testimony. So, prison is required.”
