Dane Cook's brother stole $12 million and hid cash in pasta sauce
Dane Cook's brother stole at least $12 million from the comedian and hid bricks of cash inside pasta sauce containers, a new documentary reveals. Darryl McCauley, Cook's half-brother and former business manager, pleaded guilty to embezzlement in 2008 after years of secret withdrawals from Cook's accounts.
The financial betrayal is the centerpiece of "Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story," premiering Sept. 29. The on-demand documentary revisits one of the most bizarre celebrity theft cases in Hollywood history — and why it still haunts the blockbuster comic today.
Key Takeaways
- Darryl McCauley, Dane Cook's half-brother and business manager, embezzled at least $12 million from the comedian.
- McCauley hid piles of cash in a safe and wrapped bricks of money in plastic inside pasta sauce containers.
- He pleaded guilty to larceny and embezzlement; his wife Erika also faced charges and he was ordered to repay $12 million.
- McCauley served six years in prison before disappearing; Cook believes more money and accomplices may remain.
- "Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story" streams on demand beginning Sept. 29.
How did Dane Cook's brother steal $12 million?
McCauley managed Cook's finances while the comedian became one of the most commercially successful stand-ups of the 2000s. Starting as his handler, McCauley began withdrawing sums of $20,000, $50,000 and even $100,000 from Cook's accounts without the comic noticing.
Cook admits in the documentary trailer that he felt something was wrong but could not identify it. "Was he hiding it in different places, stockpiling this money?" Cook asks. An investigation later determined McCauley had embezzled at least $12 million — though Cook believes the true total could be higher.
Where did McCauley hide the stolen cash?
The discovery read like a scene from a crime drama. Investigators found piles of cash in a safe. McCauley also wrapped money in plastic and stashed it inside pasta sauce containers — a detail Cook's documentary trailer highlights with the quip "Uh oh, Spaghetti O's!"
Cook describes McCauley in the film as "a person who spent so much time pretending to be something he wasn't." Growing up, both brothers wanted to be stand-up comedians. McCauley became a corrections officer while Cook built a blockbuster comedy career.
What happened to Darryl McCauley after the embezzlement?
McCauley pleaded guilty to larceny, embezzlement and other charges alongside his wife, Erika. A court ordered him to pay back the $12 million. He served a six-year prison sentence — then vanished entirely.
In the trailer, Cook voices the questions that remain unanswered: "Where is he? What has he done? How does this end?" Cook says he believes money is still out there and that others may know more about the scheme.
When can you watch 'Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story'?
"Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story" premieres Sept. 29 and will be available to stream on demand. For more streaming and TV documentary news, visit our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Variety first reported the pasta-sauce cash detail and documentary premiere date. Read the full Variety report for additional context on the case.