Comedian Carlos Mencia is charged in Los Angeles County with 12 felony counts related to alleged tax fraud. Prosecutors say Mencia failed to report and/or pay taxes on about $8.7 million in income earned over a six-year period. In court, Mencia pleads not guilty to the charges. Multiple reports say his defense argued that the prosecution’s actions surrounding his arrest were excessive, describing it as an “absurd show of force.” One outlet also reports that his lawyer characterizes the alleged multi-year noncompliance as a “mistake.”
At the time of his initial court appearance, Fox News reports that his bail was lowered to $50,000. Another outlet reports that the state alleges he owes roughly $300,000. The case centers on whether Mencia intentionally failed to file tax returns and properly report income during the alleged period. The allegations are still pending, and no outcome has been reported.
