Comedian to face charges in first case from L.A. County tax fraud unit

A stand-up comedian is set to face criminal charges in the first case filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s newly created Business Tax Fraud Unit, officials announced Thursday.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the defendant is comedian and actor Carlos Mencia. District Attorney Nathan Hochman is scheduled to announce the charges during a 2 p.m. news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles.

Officials have not yet disclosed the nature of the charges.

The prosecution marks the first case brought by the Business Tax Fraud Unit, a specialized division created under Hochman’s administration to investigate and prosecute tax-related crimes involving businesses.

Mencia, whose real name is Ned Arnel Mencia, rose to fame through his stand-up comedy career and as the host of the Comedy Central series Mind of Mencia.

The comedian has previously faced tax-related issues. In 2021, reports indicated that the Internal Revenue Service filed liens against three properties he owned in Georgia over more than $1 million in unpaid federal income taxes.

The District Attorney’s Office said Thursday’s announcement will be streamed live on its social media platforms.

No additional information about the case was immediately available Thursday morning.

KTLA will update this story following the district attorney’s announcement.