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Director Carl Rinsch found guilty of scamming $11M from Netflix and buying luxury cars, watches and mattresses

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Director Carl Rinsch found guilty of scamming M from Netflix and buying luxury cars, watches and mattresses


A Hollywood director was convicted Thursday on charges that he scammed Netflix out of $11 million for a show that never materialized, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about $1 million in mattresses and luxury bedding.

Carl Erik Rinsch, best known for directing the film “47 Ronin,” was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering and other charges, according to court records and a spokesperson for federal prosecutors in New York.

In a statement, Rinsch’s attorney, Benjamin Zeman, said he thought the verdict was wrong and “could set a dangerous precedent for artists who become embroiled in contractual and creative disputes with their benefactors, in this case one of the largest media companies in the world, finding themselves indicted by the federal government for fraud.”

Prosecutors said Netflix had initially paid Rinsch about $44 million for an unfinished sci-fi show called “White Horse,” and then sent over another $11 million after he said he needed additional funding to wrap up the production.

But instead of putting the money toward the show, Rinsch steered the cash to a personal account where he made a series of failed investments, losing around half of the $11 million in a couple months, according to prosecutors. He then put the remaining funds into the cryptocurrency market, netting some profit, though Rinsch then deposited the money into his own bank account.

Then came the lavish purchases, prosecutors said, with Rinsch buying five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari, along with $652,000 on watches and clothes. He also bought two mattresses for about $638,000 and spent another $295,000 on luxury bedding and linens. In addition, he used some of the money to pay off about $1.8 million in credit card bills, prosecutors said.

Rinsch never finished the show. His sentencing date is set for April.

Netflix declined to comment.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, in a statement, said Rinsch “took $11 million meant for a TV show and gambled it on speculative stock options and crypto transactions.”

“Today’s conviction shows that when someone steals from investors, we will follow the money and hold them accountable,” Clayton said.



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Zayn Malik shares personal video message on ‘Mind of Mine’ 10th anniversary

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Zayn Malik shares personal video message on ‘Mind of Mine’ 10th anniversary


Zayn Malik celebrates one decade of debut album ‘Mind of Mine’

Zayn Malik is celebrating 10 years of his debut solo album Mind of Mine with a heartfelt message.

Earlier this week, the former One Direction star took to his Instagram Stories to post a short video of himself sharing the milestone with his supporters.

Clad in a black leather jacket the Dusk Till Dawn hitmaker expressed his gratitude for all the love all this time.

“Zayn here,” he began in the brief clip. “It’s been exactly 10 years since the release of Mind of Mind, so I thought I’d just do a little video just to say thank you so much for all the support.”

Zayn Malik shares personal video message on ‘Mind of Mine 10th anniversary

“Love you guys,” the Die For Me singer continued. “It means the world.”

He wrapped up the personal video message, joking, “hopefully I don’t look too old,” flashed a bright smile and waved at his admirers.

For the unversed, Zayn, now 32, released Mind of Mine, his debut solo studio album on March 25, 2016.

It came out exactly one year after his departure from the boy band, consisting of Liam Payne (late), Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.

The lead single, Pillowtalk, debuted at number one in both the UK and US, making Zayn the first British male artist to achieve this with a debut single.

He dropped Like I Would as the second official single, which leaned more toward an uptempo, dance-pop sound.

A collaboration, titled Wrong, with American singer Kehlani served as the final single from the album.

Moreover, a notable track is Intermission: Flower, a Sufi devotional sung in Urdu, reflecting Zayn’s British-Pakistani heritage.





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Antonio Banderas opens up on ethnic stereotyping in Hollywood

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Antonio Banderas opens up on ethnic stereotyping in Hollywood


Antonio Banderas opens up on ethnic stereotyping in Hollywood

Antonio Banderas has spoken candidly about the ethnic stereotyping he faced when he first arrived in Hollywood, recalling being told bluntly that his Hispanic background limited him to villainous roles, and explaining why breaking out of that box still means so much to him.

“They said, you are here, like the blacks and the Hispanics, to play the bad guys,” the Oscar-nominated actor told The Times

The irony of what came next is something he clearly savours. 

“The problem was a few years later I had a mask, hat, sword and cape and the bad guy was Captain Love, who was blond and had blue eyes.”

That role was, of course, Zorro, the gutsy hero Banderas played in The Mask of Zorro in 1998 and The Legend of Zorro in 2005. 

But it was a cat, not a swordsman, that he considers the most culturally significant step forward. 

Puss in Boots, the character he first voiced in Shrek 2 in 2004, reached an audience that nothing else could quite match. 

“Even more important is Puss in Boots, because it’s for young kids. They see a cat that has a Spanish, even an Andalusian accent and he’s a good guy.”

He has now voiced the character across five films, including the critically lauded Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022, which earned an Oscar nomination. 

However, the 65-year-old confirmed last year that he has not yet been approached for Shrek 5, due in cinemas on 30 June 2027. 

“I’m not so far, and I’m not being called for that,” he told Parade

Puss in Boots did very well. Number two got a nomination for the Oscar, and the movie behaved beautifully at the box office. But I am totally satisfied with the five Puss in Boots that I did. I don’t know what is going to happen in the future. Maybe they [will] call me tomorrow.”





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Kerosene hiked to Rs433.40 per litre, petrol, diesel held steady as PM intervenes

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Kerosene hiked to Rs433.40 per litre, petrol, diesel held steady as PM intervenes


A worker holds a fuel nozzle to fill fuel in a car, after the government announced the increase of petrol and diesel prices, at a petrol station in Karachi, September 16, 2023.— Reuters
  • Govt to pay OMCs Rs95.59 on petrol, Rs203.88 on diesel under PDC.
  • PM blocks petrol, diesel hikes, bears Rs56bn to protect consumers
  • Highlights diplomacy, says Pakistan leading talks with Iran, Gulf.

KARACHI: The federal government has increased the price of kerosene oil by Rs4.66 per litre, bringing it to Rs433.40 per litre, effective from March 28, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division. 

Petrol and diesel prices, however, remain unchanged at Rs321.17 and Rs335.86 per litre, respectively, despite significant increases in the global oil market.

The Petroleum Division said petrol and diesel prices were held steady to shield consumers from international price shocks. 

The government will pay oil marketing companies Rs95.59 per litre on petrol and Rs203.88 per litre on diesel under the Petroleum Development Cess (PDC), as per the notification.

This latest adjustment follows a March 21 revision, when kerosene prices had surged to Rs 428.74 per litre, marking a sharp increase earlier in the month. 

The repeated revisions reflect ongoing pressure on domestic fuel pricing amid volatile global markets and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Consumers and businesses continue to feel the ripple effects of rising fuel costs, making this latest hike in kerosene closely watched across the country.

Meanwhile, a few hours before the March 28 announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the nation on the fuel crisis. 

PM Shehbaz revealed that he had rejected a summary to raise petrol by Rs95 per litre and diesel by Rs203 per litre, keeping the prices of both fuels unchanged for now, despite global surges. 

“The government will bear the additional cost, estimated at Rs56 billion, to protect consumers,” the premier said during the televised address.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic role in the Middle East, including ongoing talks with Iran and Gulf countries, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar leading the negotiations. 

Shehbaz vociferously credited CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir and stressed Pakistan’s active diplomacy day and night to promote peace.





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