Netflix Director Charged with $11 Million Fraud, Funds Used for Cryptocurrency and Luxury Goods
Recently, Netflix director Carl Erik Rinsch was charged with telecommunication fraud and money laundering, accused of misappropriating $11 million in funds that were originally intended for the production of his sci-fi TV series "White Horse," which instead were used for speculative cryptocurrency trading and purchasing luxury goods.
In 2018, Rinsch reached an agreement with a streaming platform (believed to be Netflix) to secure a budget of $44 million to produce "White Horse." In 2019 and early 2020, he requested an additional $11 million, claiming the money would be used for the show's production.
However, after receiving the funds, Rinsch did not use them as planned but instead transferred the money into a personal brokerage account and began speculative trading, resulting in losing more than half of the funds within two months.
Even more outrageous, Rinsch did not reinvest the remaining money into the show but turned to cryptocurrency trading and continued to lavishly spend on luxury goods.
According to the indictment, he spent nearly $1.8 million on credit card payments, $1 million on legal fees (including lawsuits against streaming services and divorce costs), and $395,000 on luxury hotels and rental properties.
Rinsch's extravagant spending is jaw-dropping, including $638,000 on two mattresses and $295,000 on luxury bedding; the purchase of five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari, totaling $2.4 million; and $652,000 on designer watches and clothing.
It is reported that this is not the first time Rinsch has been involved in controversy. In 2023, he took $4 million from another show's budget to invest in DOGE, making a profit of $27 million, and nearly $9 million was spent on luxury goods, including high-end furniture, designer clothing, a $380,000 watch, and luxury cars.
Rinsch currently faces one count of telecommunication fraud, one count of money laundering, and five counts of financial transaction fraud. If convicted on all counts, he could spend the rest of his life in prison!
In summary, from Netflix director to defendant, Rinsch's story is even more "dramatic" than his TV series. Will he pay for his actions in the future? We shall see.
Do you think Rinsch's actions reflect regulatory loopholes in the industry? Leave your comments in the discussion section!
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