2 hours ago
Carlos Mencia, who hosted Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia successful nan 2000s, was arrested Thursday and charged pinch a twelve counts of felony authorities taxation evasion. Prosecutors said nan comic grounded to study $8.7 cardinal successful individual and firm income taxes betwixt taxation years 2019-24 and owes nan authorities of California much than $300,000.
Mencia, 58, whose existent sanction is Ned Holness, faces six counts each of nonaccomplishment to record individual and firm income taxation pinch nan intent to evade taxation (read nan indictment here). If convicted connected each charges, he faces up to 11 years and 4 months successful authorities prison. Mencia remained successful custody precocious Thursday connected $250,000 bail and is group to beryllium arraigned Monday astatine nan Van Nuys Courthouse.
“Mr. Mencia has an income astir group tin only dream of, and for illustration everyone other he is required to record his individual and firm taxation returns and salary his adjacent share,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said successful a statement.
Prosecutors allege that Mencia grounded to study astir $8.7 cardinal successful individual income and firm income taxation during nan taxation years 2019-24, astir $3.3 cardinal successful individual income and immoderate $5.4 cardinal successful firm income for his institution Nedlos Entertainment, which he owns and is its CEO.
The California Franchise Tax Board mailed Mencia 78 request notices to his residence during this period, informing him of his responsibility to record taxation returns and advising him that nary returns had been received, Hochman’s agency said.
Mencia hosted Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia from for 4 seasons from 2005-08. The bid mixed stand-up and sketch drama that riffed connected celebrated culture. He besides voiced Felix Boulevardez connected The Proud Family from 2001-05 and successful nan 2005 movie based connected nan Disney Channel series. His different big-screen roles included nan Farrelly Brothers’ The Heartbreak Kid on pinch 29 Palms and Outta Time.
“Failing to study millions of dollars successful income is simply a slap successful nan look to hardworking Californians who diligently record and salary their taxes each twelvemonth because they attraction astir their communities and nan nationalist goods, for illustration police, fire, roads, and utilities, their taxation dollars provide,” D.A. Hochman added. “Today we are sending a connection to nan taxation scofflaws that it is nary longer business arsenic accustomed successful Los Angeles County – nan days of a free walk for failing to record returns and salary taxes are over.”
This is nan first lawsuit revenge by nan DA Office’s recently established Business Tax Fraud Unit.
