Comedian Carlos Mencia, 58, was arrested in Encino, Los Angeles, and charged with 12 felony counts tied to alleged failure to file tax returns involving both personal and corporate income. Prosecutors say he did not report $8.7 million from 2019 to 2024, leavi
At about 7:05 a.m. on June 18, Carlos Mencia was taken into police custody at his home in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles. By the time the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office held a press conference later that day, the comedian remained in custody and was placed on $250,000 bail.
The case centers on allegations of tax evasion tied to years of unfiled returns, with prosecutors describing the matter as the first matter handled by the newly established Business Tax Fraud Unit.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said on Thursday. June 18 that Mencia. 58. has been charged with 12 felony counts for failure to file tax returns. Six counts relate to Mencia’s personal taxes and six relate to his corporate taxes. Hochman said Mencia did not report $8.7 million in income between 2019 and 2024—$3.3 million of it personal income and $5.4 million tied to his production company. NedLos Entertainment.
Hochman said the alleged unpaid state tax totals more than $300,000. He also described a long trail of notices from the California Franchise Tax Board, saying the agency sent Mencia 78 notices about his failure to file returns over six years, and that Mencia did not respond at any point.
Those years of noncompliance, Hochman said, have left Mencia on the California Franchise Tax Board’s list of top 500 tax delinquencies in both the personal and corporate income categories.
The criminal exposure in the case is significant. Hochman said that if convicted, Mencia could face nearly 12 years in prison and could be ordered to repay the unpaid taxes, along with interest that nearly doubles the amount owed.
During the press conference. Hochman also made clear that the state charges do not cover a broader accounting of potential federal violations. He said the charges do not include “whatever federal tax obligations he may have also not complied with.” His office has also “not heard one way or the other” from the IRS about any potential federal action.
Mencia’s arraignment has been set for Monday, June 22.
In the meantime. the legal process will now move from the press conference to the courtroom—while the underlying numbers at the center of the allegations are likely to dominate questions for both prosecutors and defense attorneys: the unreported $8.7 million spanning 2019 through 2024. the more than $300. 000 in alleged unpaid state tax. and the 12 felony counts built around claims that tax returns were never filed as required.
Carlos Mencia tax evasion California Franchise Tax Board Nathan Hochman Business Tax Fraud Unit NedLos Entertainment tax fraud charges Encino arrest