A San Fernando Valley film production accountant has admitted to siphoning nearly $2 million from independent film projects over several years, moving the funds into a prepaid account labeled “Fun Fun Fun” and using the money to support a lavish personal lifestyle.
A film production accountant from the San Fernando Valley pleaded guilty today to six counts of wire fraud after prosecutors say he diverted production cash into an account he controlled called “Fun Fun Fun.” The scheme allegedly targeted independent film productions that relied on him to manage payroll and expenses. Authorities say the misconduct unfolded over multiple years as he served in both corporate and on-set financial roles.
Joshua Mandel, 48, of Woodland Hills, owned First J Productions Inc., where he held the CEO and chief financial officer titles while also offering accounting services to independent filmmakers. In that dual capacity he had access to production bank accounts and the authority to move funds. Court documents portray him as the point person for day-to-day cash flow decisions on the sets he served.
As a production accountant Mandel handled payroll, tracked expenses, and managed cash for multiple productions, and he had authorization to add funds to prepaid debit cards issued by CASHét Card. Those cards are common in the film business for disbursing per diems and vendor payments. Investigators say he exploited that access to funnel company money into an account he controlled on the same platform.
From 2019 through 2023 Mandel allegedly wrote unauthorized checks, initiated improper wire transfers, and shifted funds into a CASHét Card account labeled “Fun Fun Fun.” Prosecutors contend the transactions were concealed by cross-paying bills between different production entities to mask missing balances. The scheme reportedly relied on routine accounting practices being left unchecked long enough for the misdirections to go unnoticed.
Authorities estimate the total misappropriated amount approached $2,000,000, and they say Mandel used the money to underwrite an upscale lifestyle. Spending tied to the alleged embezzlement includes hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to various young women, including pornographic actresses, and a payment totaling more than $129,000 to a woman he met through a “sugar daddy” website. Additional expenditures listed by investigators included more than $24,000 on Las Vegas hotels, clubs, and shows, and purchases exceeding $12,000 at Louis Vuitton.
To hide the cash flow gaps Mandel is accused of moving money from one production to cover expenses for another, a tactic that blurred audit trails and complicated reconciliation efforts. That kind of inter-company shifting can momentarily mask shortfalls, but it raises obvious red flags when standard checks and reconciliations are performed. Prosecutors relied on banking records and transaction histories to reconstruct the transfers and link them to personal withdrawals.
United States District Judge John F. Walter set a sentencing hearing for May 4, at which point Mandel faces a statutory maximum of up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud. Mandel remains free on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing. The case is officially under investigation by the FBI as federal prosecutors prepare their sentencing recommendations.
The prosecution team on the matter includes Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab, Acting Chief of the Criminal Division, and Lauren E. Border of the General Crimes Section. Their filings detail the alleged pattern of unauthorized transfers and the subsequent use of diverted funds. The records underline how access and trust, when combined with weak controls, can create opportunities for large-scale theft.
This episode highlights risks faced by small productions that rely on a single individual for both creative and financial duties. Independent projects often run on tight budgets and limited oversight, making robust internal controls and independent reconciliations essential. The alleged scheme serves as a caution to film companies and vendors to strengthen accounting checks and separate duties to prevent similar abuses.
