LOS ANGELES
Federal prosecutors have charged Joshua Mandel, 46, of Woodland Hills, with six counts of wire fraud, accusing him of embezzling more than $1.9 million from independent film productions between 2019 and 2023, officials announced Friday.
Mandel, owner of First J Productions Inc. and a freelance production accountant, allegedly diverted funds from film budgets by issuing unauthorized checks, making wire transfers, and loading money onto a CASHét Card account he named “Fun Fun Fun.”
Mandel is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Authorities say he spent the stolen money on luxury items, Las Vegas hotels and clubs, and payments to multiple women, including pornographic actresses and a woman he met on a “sugar daddy” site.
Prosecutors allege Mandel also shuffled money between productions to conceal the thefts. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.
The FBI is investigating.