Comedian Carlos Mencia Arrested on 12 Felony Tax Evasion Charges

Comedian Carlos Mencia has been arrested and charged with 12 felony counts of state tax evasion, according to Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman.

The 58-year-old entertainer was taken into custody Thursday, June 18, following allegations that he failed to report $8.7 million in personal and corporate income taxes spanning from 2019 through 2024. The case represents the inaugural prosecution handled by the District Attorney's newly created Business Tax Fraud Unit.

At a press conference announcing the charges, Hochman issued a statement addressing the serious nature of the allegations. "Mr. Mencia has an income most people can only dream of, and like everyone else he is required to file his personal and corporate tax returns and pay his fair share," the DA said. "Failing to report millions of dollars in income is a slap in the face to hardworking Californians who diligently file and pay their taxes every year because they care about their communities and the public goods, like police, fire, roads, and utilities, their tax dollars provide. Today we are sending a message to the tax scofflaws that it is no longer business as usual in Los Angeles County – the days of a free pass for failing to file returns and pay taxes are over."

The charges break down into six felony counts of failure to file personal income tax with intent to evade taxes and six felony counts of failure to file corporate income tax with intent to evade taxes.

According to authorities, Mencia appears on the California Franchise Tax Board's roster of the state's top 500 tax delinquencies in both personal and corporate income categories. The board has sent him 78 notices regarding unfiled returns, prosecutors allege.

Investigators determined that Mencia failed to report approximately $3.3 million in personal income and roughly $5.4 million in income from Nedlos Entertainment, Inc., a company where he serves as CEO and owner.

The state of California claims Mencia owes more than $300,000 in back taxes, comprising approximately $267,594 in personal income taxes and approximately $35,117 in corporate income taxes.

Mencia remains in custody with bail set at $250,000. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday, June 22. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and four months in prison.