Comedian Carlos Mencia is reportedly facing criminal charges from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s new Business Tax Fraud Unit.
Videos by Suggest
According to TMZ, District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s office will reveal the charges against Mencia at a press conference later today at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles.
The exact charges against the 58-year-old have not been disclosed by prosecutors.
This is the first case prosecuted by the new Business Tax Fraud Unit. The unit focuses on complex financial crimes, including business tax evasion, payroll tax fraud, falsified business records, and underground economy schemes. It was created to pursue cases of alleged taxpayer fund theft and sophisticated tax fraud operations.
Mencia, born Ned Arnel Mencia, gained prominence as a stand-up comedian and host of the Comedy Central series Mind of Mencia, which aired from 2005 to 2008.
In 2007, Joe Rogan famously accused Mencia of plagiarism during a confrontation onstage at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. The incident, which was captured on NSFW video, featured Rogan labeling Mencia “Carlos Menstealia.” The Fear Factor host alleged he stole jokes from other comedians, including George Lopez and Bobby Lee. Mencia denied the accusations.
According to his IMDB page, Mencia later appeared in the 2010 film Our Family Wedding. He also had roles in the 2012 TV series La Chamba and his 2011 comedy special, Carlos Mencia: New Territory.
This isn’t the first time the comedian has faced tax-related issues. According to NR Today, the IRS filed a lien in July 2021, claiming that he and his wife, Amy, owed nearly $1.2 million for three years of unpaid federal income taxes.