Filmmaker Carl Rinsch has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after his conviction for defrauding Netflix out of $11 million that was intended to complete an unfinished science-fiction television series.
Rinsch’s sentence was handed by a federal judge in New York following his December 2025 conviction for wire fraud, money laundering, and associated financial offenses. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed three years of supervised release, confiscation of $11 million, reparations, and mandatory financial assessments.
Prosecutors believe Netflix transferred the remaining $11 million in 2020 after Rinsch said he needed the funds to complete the series, which was then known as White Horse. Instead of using the cash for manufacturing, he transferred it to a personal trading account. According to testimony produced at trial, he used it to make risky bets and purchase luxury items.
According to court papers, Rinsch initially lost millions of dollars through speculative stock options before eventually benefitting from bitcoin trading. Prosecutors said he used the funds to fund a lavish lifestyle that included five Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari, fancy watches, designer apparel, and furniture.
Oh, and two mattresses that cost approximately $638,000.
Netflix has invested tens of millions of dollars in the ambitious science fiction series, but it was never completed. The production was eventually canceled due to disagreements about missed milestones and Rinsch’s management of the project’s funds. Separate civil actions earlier resulted in an arbitration ruling ordering Rinsch to reimburse millions of dollars to the streaming firm.
During sentencing, prosecutors claimed Rinsch acted out of greed and requested the court to impose a five-year prison term. Defense attorneys requested the judge be lenient, claiming that mental health concerns and pharmaceutical issues influenced his actions during the time in question. Rinsch apologized in court, admitted that his actions were harmful, and stated that the case had forced him to confront issues with his health and judgment.
Rinsch, 48, must go to prison in September.
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