Comedian Carlos Mencia is in legal trouble after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced it will file criminal charges against him. District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman is set to reveal the charges at a 2 PM PT press conference Thursday outside the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles.
The exact nature of the charges remains unclear, but the case marks the first filed by the county’s newly created Business Tax Fraud Unit. The unit was established to investigate and prosecute financial crimes targeting businesses and tax compliance.
Mencia, born Ned Arnel Mencía in Honduras, rose to fame with his Comedy Central show Mind of Mencia, which ran from 2005 to 2008. His comedy often tackled race relations, Latin American culture, and social class. However, his career has been shadowed by controversy, including accusations of joke theft from fellow comedians like Joe Rogan and George Lopez.
The comedian has continued working in recent years, including voicing Felix Boulevardez in Disney+’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which is set to conclude with its fourth season premiering July 29. He remains active on the stand-up circuit as well.
The press conference is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, where the D.A. is expected to detail the specific allegations against Mencia. The charges stem from an investigation by the Business Tax Fraud Unit, which focuses on violations including tax evasion and fraudulent reporting.
This story is developing. Further details will emerge following the D.A.’s announcement.
