The Brief Comedian Carlos Mencia pleaded not guilty to 12 felony tax-related charges, including six counts of allegedly failing to file personal income tax returns and six counts involving corporate taxes from 2019-2024. Prosecutors allege Mencia failed to report about $8.7 million in income and owes more than $300,000 in state taxes. A judge reduced Mencia's bail from $250,000 to $50,000.



Comedian Carlos Mencia has pleaded not guilty to 12 felony charges alleging he failed to report or pay taxes on more than $8 million in earnings.

Mencia appeared behind glass in a custody area of a Los Angeles County court at his arraignment on Monday.

Carlos Mencina pleads not guilty to 12 charges

Big picture view:

The 58-year-old was charged with six felony counts of failure to file personal income tax with the intent to evade taxes - one each for the years 2019 to 2024 - and six similar counts for corporate taxes.

A judge also reduced his bail from $250,000 to $50,000.

Comedian Carlos Mencia performs at The Ice House Comedy Club on April 25, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Credit: Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images for ABA)

Court documents show that he posted bail, but it's not clear whether he has been released.

Mencia arrested, accused of failing to file California tax returns

The backstory:

Mencia was arrested last week and was accused of failing to file California tax returns.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the case is the first major prosecution brought by his office's new Business Tax Fraud Unit, a specialized team created to investigate and prosecute businesses and owners accused of criminal tax violations.

 In total, the amount of corporate and personal income that he has failed to report over the six years from 2019 through 2024, as alleged in the charges, is $8.7 million,  Hochman said.

Prosecutors said Mencia owed more than $300,000 in state taxes. Hochman said the California Franchise Tax Board sent Mencia 78 notices telling him he had failed to file returns.

 Yet he was 0 for 78,  Hochman said.


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