Keanu Reeves Seeks Leniency for Director Who Faces Years in Prison for Swindling Netflix Out of $11 Million

May 27, 2026 1:22pm PT Keanu Reeves Seeks Leniency for Director Who Faces Years in Prison for Swindling Netflix Out of $11 Million

By Gene Maddaus

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Gene Maddaus

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@GeneMaddaus

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Keanu Reeves is seeking leniency for Carl Rinsch, the director of “47 Ronin” who faces years in prison for swindling Netflix out of $11 million.

In a letter to Judge Jed Rakoff, Reeves called the director an “exceptional artist” and urged the judge to show “leniency and mercy” in sentencing him.

Rinsch was convicted in December on federal charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and making illegal transactions. Prosecutors alleged that he used Netflix’s money — intended to fund the sci-fi series “White Horse” — to make lavish purchases, including luxury cars, high-end mattresses, and crypto investments.

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