Comedian Faces Arraignment in Van Nuys
Comedian Carlos Mencia is scheduled to appear in court today at the on 12 felony counts of tax evasion, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney .
Comedian Carlos Mencia faces arraignment today at the Van Nuys Courthouse on 12 felony tax counts. Prosecutors allege he failed to report $8.7 million in income from 2019 to 2024.
Comedian Carlos Mencia is scheduled to appear in court today at the on 12 felony counts of tax evasion, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney .
Mencia was arrested Thursday morning at his home in Encino. He remains in custody on $250,000 bail. Prosecutors say the comedian faces more than 11 years in state prison if convicted on all charges.
The arraignment hearing will take place Monday in Department 100 of the Van Nuys Courthouse, according to court records and reporting from multiple outlets.
Prosecutors allege Mencia failed to file personal and corporate tax returns over a six-year period from 2019 to 2024. Authorities say he did not report approximately $8.7 million in income, resulting in more than $300,000 in unpaid state taxes.
"One of California's biggest tax scofflaws," Hochman said of Mencia at a Thursday press conference.
The charges include six felony counts related to personal income tax returns and six felony counts related to corporate tax returns. Prosecutors allege about $5.4 million of the unreported income was tied to Mencia's company, Nedlos Entertainment.
The California Franchise Tax Board sent Mencia 78 notices regarding his tax obligations during the period in question. Prosecutors say he did not respond to any of them.
Hochman described Mencia as appearing on the Franchise Tax Board's list of the state's 500 largest tax delinquents in both personal and corporate income tax categories.
The case is the first brought by the District Attorney's newly launched Business Tax Fraud Unit, which was created last month to target white-collar financial crimes.
Mencia rose to fame in the 1990s through stand-up comedy before landing roles on shows including Moesha, The Bernie Mac Show, and The Shield. His biggest success came with Comedy Central's The Mind of Mencia, which ran for four seasons from 2005 to 2008.
The comedian later faced accusations of plagiarism from fellow performers including George Lopez and Joe Rogan. Rogan confronted Mencia on stage at The Comedy Store in 2007 in a widely circulated incident.
Representatives for Mencia have not issued any public comment on the new charges, according to ABC News.
At today's arraignment, Mencia will hear the charges read formally and enter a plea. The court will also address legal representation and set future court dates.
If convicted on all 12 counts, Mencia could face more than a decade behind bars. Prosecutors say he could also be ordered to repay the back taxes, plus interest and potential civil penalties.
This article was generated with AI assistance.