Hollywood director Carl Rinsch found guilty of scamming Netflix out of £8.2m
Director facing lengthy prison sentence after defrauding millions from Netflix
- Hollywood director Carl Erik Rinsch was convicted of defrauding Netflix out of $11m (£8.2m) intended for his science fiction series, White Horse, later renamed Conquest.
- A federal jury in Manhattan found Rinsch guilty on multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering, concluding he diverted the funds for personal luxury items and investments.
- Rinsch used the money to purchase five Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari, expensive watches, high-end mattresses and pay off credit card debt, rather than completing the show.
- Netflix had invested a total of $55m (£41.06m) in the project, which they ultimately wrote off after Rinsch failed to deliver a single completed episode and exhibited erratic behaviour.
- Prosecutors stated the charges carry maximum sentences totalling 90 years, with Rinsch scheduled for sentencing on 17 April 2026; his lawyer maintains the verdict is wrong.