Carlos Mencia Faces Decade Behind Bars after Comedian Arrested and Charged with 12 Counts of Tax Evasion for Failing to Report $8.7M Income
Comedian Carlos Mencia faces a decade behind bars after being arrested and charged with 12 counts of tax evasion.
June 19 2026, Published 7:22 a.m. ET
Carlos Mencia has been arrested and charged with 12 counts of tax evasion, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The comedian, 58, faces a ten-year prison sentence for failing to report $8.7million in personal and corporate income taxes between tax years 2019-24 and owes the state of California more than $300,000.
'One Of California’s Biggest Tax Scofflaws'
Mencia was slammed by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman while announcing charges.
Mencia, 58, whose real name is Ned Holness, faces six counts each of failure to file personal and corporate income tax with the intent to evade tax.
If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 11 years and four months in state prison.
Mencia remained in custody late Thursday on $250,000 bail and is set to be arraigned Monday at the Van Nuys Courthouse.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges, describing Mencia as "one of California's biggest tax scofflaws."
He said in a statement: "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.
'A Slap In The Face To Hardworking Californians'
Mencia was sent 78 notices from the state about his delinquent bills, but never responded.
"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 are the first filed under the new Business Tax Fraud Unit of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Mencia regularly paid taxes before 2019, Hochman said.
He was sent 78 notices from the state about his delinquent bills, with no response.
Born in Honduras and raised in East Los Angeles, Mencia began doing stand-up in L.A. clubs in the late 1980s.
'I Think Taxes Are A Good Thing'
Mencia previously lauded taxes during his 'Mind of Mencia' show in 2007.
By the early 2000s, he became one of the most popular comics in the U.S. and also did some acting in film and television.
He had his own TV series, Mind of Mencia, combining stand-up with sketches on Comedy Central from 2005 to 2008.
Hochman pointed out at the news conference that on the show in 2007, Mencia said: "Maybe I'm different, but I think taxes are a good thing."
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Mencia's career was previously hit by claims he stole fellow comics' gags.
His comedy most often dealt with race, class and Latino culture. His career took a downward turn as he was hit with accusations from many fellow comedians of joke theft, which he always denied, from other comics.
Joe Rogan, then best known as a stand-up comic, confronted him on a club stage on the issue in a video that went viral in 2007.
Mencia had long discussions on Marc Maron's podcast on the alleged plagiarism, acknowledging that he may have absorbed others' material but denying outright theft.
He still does regular stand-up shows, touring clubs and small theaters. He's scheduled to do a series of dates in Southern California this week and Las Vegas next week.
