Carl Rinsch, director of 47 Ronin and White Horse/Conquest, has been indicted by federal prosecutors on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and other crimes related to allegedly stealing $11 million from Netflix. The indictment alleges that Rinsch used the funds meant for his promised sci-fi series to finance lavish purchases and personal investments.
Rinsch is charged with one count of wire fraud, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of money laundering, also carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years; and five counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years.
The alleged scheme began when Netflix gave Rinsch $44 million for the project White Horse/Conquest. However, with no significant progress shown, Netflix pulled the plug on the project, writing off over $55 million in costs. The indictment claims that Rinsch used some of the funds to speculate on cryptocurrency and paid for luxury items, including five Rolls-Royces and a Ferrari.
Rinsch is set to appear before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff on Tuesday. Netflix had no comment on the indictment when contacted by Deadline.
Source: https://deadline.com/2025/03/47-ronin-director-indictment-netflix-scam-1236330244