Zachary Horwitz
Hollywood actor sentenced to 20 years in prison
Zachary Horwitz aka Zach Avery performing in London.
© imago/Matrix
Former Hollywood star Zachary Horwitz, aka Zach Avery, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for financial fraud.
Zachary Horwitz (35), a US actor who is said to have defrauded investors through a Ponzi scheme, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Monday. Horwitz “collected at least $650 million with false claims,” according to the prosecutor in California. He had apparently lured investors with the false promise of buying film distribution rights and then licensing them to major broadcasters for distribution abroad.
In October, the 35-year-old pleaded guilty to fraud charges. According to the official statement, he was sentenced to 240 months in prison and has to pay more than 230 million US dollars in compensation. Prosecutors had accused the actor of depositing some of the money into his personal accounts. Among other things, he is said to have bought a property for about six million US dollars.
Small appearances in films
Horwitz, best known by his stage name Zach Avery, has appeared in various films including Trespassers, Nureyev – The White Crow, Fury and most recently in 2020’s Last Moment of Clarity. In April 2021, he was arrested for financial fraud in Los Angeles.