A Hollywood producer drained businesses of $12million to fund expensive cars, remodeling his mansion and even a surrogacy, prosecutors allege.
David Brown, 39, was indicted on Wednesday by federal prosecutors on 21 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
Prosecutors claim he defrauded financial backers by funneling cash for production companies into his own pocket, spending frivolously as he did.
Brown worked as a film producer for indie Hollywood productions, alongside the likes of Jenna Ortega in 2021’s ‘The Fallout’.
Most recently he worked on the Academy Award nominated flick ‘The Apprentice’, which detailed the rise of Donald Trump.
Prosecutors say instead of using the money on productions he had promised he funded an extravagant lifestyle.
It is said he used cash given to him to buy a 2025 Mercedes Benz G-Wagon and three Teslas, including a Cybertruck.
According to prosecutors he also used the funds to make mortgage payments and on remodeling his Sherman Oaks home, including installing a pool worth $99,000.
David Brown, seen here, was indicted on Wednesday by federal prosecutors on 21 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft
It is said he used cash given to him to buy a 2025 Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, and three Teslas including a Cybertruck, seen here
Recent social media video shared by Brown, in which he offers financial advice, he can be seen driving around in what appears to be Tesla vehicles including a Cybertruck.
As well as his own home improvements, it is alleged he spent his victims’ money on a house for his mother and handed cash to family members.
Brown also spent over $70,000 on surrogacy and related services, as well as private school tuition fees and $970,000 on a film project.
The LA Times ran an article in 2023 that documented a load of a fraud allegations against Brown, but he denied defrauding anyone to the outlet.
He said: ‘I had to work really hard to get where I am today. I had to overcome a lot. I had to fight for my place. I’m not some bad guy.’
Their article also alleged he had forged the signature of Kevin Spacey, telling would-be investors Spacey had agreed to star in one his films for $100,000.
Spacey’s former manager told the outlet the actor hadn’t signed on to the film and didn’t even know what it was. Brown denied forging his signature.
Authorities say he convinced one victim to put cash into a company named Film Holdings Capital which was intended to fund projects.
As well as his own home improvements, it is alleged he then spent his victims’ money on a home for his own mother and handed cash to family members
Most recently he worked on the Academy Award nominated flick ‘The Apprentice’, seen here, which detailed the rise of Donald Trump
A Sherman Oaks home registered with the company is worth just under $2 million, it is unclear if it is the home of Brown.
Instead he used the money ‘maintaining his lifestyle and repaying prior victims’ in what was described as a ‘Ponzi-like scheme’.
Other times he told victims to pay funds to his company ‘Hollywood Covid Testing’, ‘for services rendered or already paid for’ it is alleged.
Prosecutors say he created the false impression that he had not misspent money and that Film Holdings Capital was operating well by inducing a third party into signing backdated loan documents.
A Sherman Oaks home registered with the company is worth just under $2 million, seen here, it is unclear if it is the home of Brown
It is said he used cash given to him to buy a 2025 Mercedes Benz G-Wagon (file photo) and three Teslas, including a Cybertruck
Brown is currently in federal custody in South Carolina, where he has an address listed worth $1.1 million – a view of the home is seen here
He is also alleged to have withheld health insurance payments from employees’ payroll while failing to maintain their health insurance coverage.
According to prosecutors he also inflated his credibility and used this to induce victims to hand over more money.
He is alleged to have handed a person a copy of another person’s IMDB profile, claiming it as his own. Prosecutors say that all in he made off with $12 million.
Brown is currently in federal custody in South Carolina, where he has an address listed worth $1.1million.
Prosecutors say he will enter a plea to the charges at an upcoming arraignment.
If convicted of all charges, Brown would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for each aggravated identity theft count.
