- Carl Rinsch was convicted after prosecutors accused him of misusing $11 million given to him to create a television series for Netflix.
- As the court prepares to decide Carl Rinsch' punishment, Keanu Reeves has written a letter to the judge asking for mercy.
- Keanu Reeves described Carl Rinsch as a talented filmmaker whom he has known for around 15 year
Keanu Reeves has extended support to filmmaker Carl Rinsch ahead of his upcoming sentencing in the Netflix fraud case. Rinsch was convicted after prosecutors accused him of misusing $11 million given to him to create a television series for the streaming platform. Instead of using the money for production, authorities said he spent it on personal purchases.
The filmmaker was originally charged in March 2025 and was later found guilty of wire fraud and money laundering. Now, as the court prepares to decide his punishment, Reeves has written a letter to the US District Judge Jed Rakoff, asking for “leniency.”
In his letter, obtained by Radar Online, Keanu Reeves described Carl Rinsch as a talented filmmaker whom he has known for around 15 years. He said their connection went beyond work, as he attended Rinsch's wedding and stayed in touch with him over the years.
The John Wick star wrote, “I hope you are able to find leniency for this man. To the extent you deem appropriate, I believe such leniency would be a healing act, to go along with the punishment he will live with.”
If found guilty, Carl Rinsch can face several years in prison, but the exact length of his sentence has not yet been decided. Court documents show that even his own lawyers suggest a prison term of about eight to ten years. Despite that, his legal team is asking the judge to give him a much lighter sentence and not follow the recommended range.
Keanu Reeves and Carl Rinsch have remained friends since working together on the 2013 film 47 Ronin, in which Reeves starred in the lead role.
