Carlos Mencia has found himself making headlines again, but this time it has nothing to do with allegations of stealing jokes.
The former Mind of Mencia star was arrested at his Encino residence on the morning of June 18 after Los Angeles prosecutors accused him of not filing California state tax returns from 2019 through 2024. According to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Mencia allegedly failed to report approximately $8.7 million in personal and business income, leading to 12 felony tax charges.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the 58-year-old comedian, born Ned Arnel Holness, allegedly disregarded more than 70 notices from the California Franchise Tax Board concerning overdue tax filings. Prosecutors claim he owes the state in excess of $300,000. The charges include six counts linked to personal income taxes and six more connected to his company, NedLos Entertainment. His bail was set at $250,000, and he is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, June 22.
For many comedy fans, Carlos Mencia’s name has been tied to controversy for years. His Comedy Central hit Mind of Mencia helped turn him into one of stand-up comedy’s biggest names in the mid-2000s, but his career later came under scrutiny following multiple plagiarism allegations from fellow comedians.
One of the most notable incidents occurred in 2007 when Joe Rogan confronted him publicly at The Comedy Store. Over the years, comedians including Ari Shaffir, George Lopez, and Bobby Lee accused Mencia of using material that wasn’t his own, while South Park famously mocked the controversy.
Now, however, Mencia is dealing with an entirely different set of allegations.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman pointed out the irony of the situation, noting that Mencia had reportedly been compliant with his tax obligations before 2019. Prosecutors allege that changed in recent years, despite numerous notices and warnings from state authorities.
If convicted on all charges, Mencia could face more than a decade behind bars and would be required to pay back the taxes and interest prosecutors say he owes.
The case is also significant because it is the first prosecution handled by the district attorney’s newly formed Business Tax Fraud Unit. Mencia has previously dealt with tax-related issues as well. In 2021, the IRS claimed that he and his wife owed more than $1.2 million in unpaid federal taxes connected to the years 2013 through 2015.
