• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
FinanceLeadership

MoviePass’s former chairman Ted Farnsworth has been arrested as he and former CEO face criminal fraud charges

By
Sheryl Estrada
Sheryl Estrada
and
Jessica Mathews
Jessica Mathews
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sheryl Estrada
Sheryl Estrada
and
Jessica Mathews
Jessica Mathews
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 7, 2022, 4:39 PM ET
Ted Farnsworth attends the 27th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in 2019.
Ted Farnsworth attends the 27th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in 2019. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Ted Farnsworth, the former chairman of the once-viral movie theater subscription service MoviePass, was arrested Friday in connection to criminal charges filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to court documents obtained by Fortune.

The documents, which were filed in a federal court in Florida last week, show that arrest warrants were issued on Nov. 2 for both Farnsworth, 60, and his former business partner Mitch Lowe, 70, who was the former CEO of MoviePass. The documents state that Farnsworth was arrested on Nov. 4 in Washington, D.C. Both executives were indicted last week for allegedly engaging in a scheme to artificially inflate the price of MoviePass’s parent company, Helios and Matheson, in order to attract new investors. If convicted, the men face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of fraud of which they are accused: one count of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud.

It is unclear from court records whether Lowe has also been arrested by authorities at this time, and he could not be reached for comment via his personal website or through his speaking agency. The documents show that Farnsworth is being represented by George Terwilliger III, who was nominated Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice in 1992 under President Georg H. W. Bush. Terwilliger didn’t respond to an immediate request for comment. (Over the weekend a spokesperson for Farnsworth told CBS News that the former executive’s legal team plans “to contest the allegations in the indictment until his vindication is achieved.”)

Movie theater subscription company MoviePass had sought to revolutionize the move industry by offering a low-cost subscription service that enabled users to see nearly-unlimited films for a monthly fee. During its prime, MoviePass drew in around 3 million customers, who were paying $9.95 a month to be able to see one movie in theaters every single day. Meanwhile, MoviePass’ parent company was raking up significant losses and ended up filing for bankruptcy in 2020. One of MoviePass’ co-founders, Stacy Spikes, who has not been named in any criminal charges, purchased back the assets and has recently been attempting to launch a second run of the service. (A MoviePass spokesperson did not respond to an immediate request for comment of whether these criminal charges have impacted potential business. Fortune also contacted ZASH Global Media and Entertainment, of which Farnsworth is a co-founder, but did not receive a response.)

The Department of Justice has accused Farnsworth and Lowe of allegedly defrauding investors through materially false and misleading representations during their time running the first iteration of MoviePass. 

For example, in April 2018, Farnsworth and Lowe, allegedly fraudulently represented that MoviePass’s $9.95 unlimited plan was tested, sustainable, and would be profitable, or break even with subscription fees alone, according to the DOJ. Farnsworth and Lowe allegedly made false claims that Helios and Matheson possessed and used technologies—like big data and artificial intelligence platforms—to generate revenue by analyzing and monetizing the data MoviePass collected from subscribers. At the time, Helios and Matheson a publicly-traded company, was regulated by the SEC. MoviePass is a private company.

In addition, Farnsworth and Lowe are accused of making materially false or misleading representations in press releases, SEC filings, and media interviews. Thought there is also an arrest warrant issued for Lowe, he has not yet turned himself in or has been arrested, per the latest filings obtained by Fortune. 

In a separate case, the men also face charges from the SEC for allegedly making materially false or misleading statements concerning key aspects of MoviePass’s business model.

Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the fraud charges in the Department of Justice’s criminal case, and the FBI’s New York Field Office is investigating.

“As alleged, the defendants deliberately and publicly engaged in a fraudulent scheme designed to falsely bolster their company’s stock price,” Michael J. Driscoll, assistant director in charge of the FBI New York Field Office, said in a statement.

Farnsworth is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in D.C. on Nov. 17, according to the court records.

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Authors
Sheryl Estrada
By Sheryl EstradaSenior Writer and author of CFO Daily
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Sheryl Estrada is a senior writer at Fortune, where she covers the corporate finance industry, Wall Street, and corporate leadership. She also authors CFO Daily.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Jessica MathewsFormer Senior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jessica Mathews is a former senior writer for Fortune, where she covered transportation, defense tech, and Elon Musk’s companies.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Mark Zandi, Moody's chief economist.
EconomyU.S. economy
‘It’s fair to ask whether it was worth it’: The Iran war has cost Americans $1,000 per household—and that’s a conservative estimate, Mark Zandi says
By Tristan BoveJuly 1, 2026
4 hours ago
Melania Trump NFT earnings surge 28x in 2025 as first lady rakes in nearly $17 million in total earnings, filing shows
PoliticsDonald Trump
Melania Trump NFT earnings surge 28x in 2025 as first lady rakes in nearly $17 million in total earnings, filing shows
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 1, 2026
5 hours ago
Donald Trump sits at his desk in the Oval Office, smiling and with his hands folded in front of him.
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
6 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for July 1, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for July 1, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks July 1, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on July 1, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
16 hours ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
14 hours ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
2 days ago
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
Commentary
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
By Marc AndersenJune 30, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.