As his lawyer blames prosecutors for 'overreach'

American comedian Carlos Mencia  has pleaded not guilty to 12 felony counts related to his tax filings

The stand-up has been released on bail following his arrest last week after allegedly failing to report $8.7million (£6.5million)  in earnings between 2019 and 2025.

It means he owes the state of California more than $300,000 (£225,000) in personal and corporate taxes, state prosecutors say.

As Mencia appeared in front of a judge yesterday, he wore a top reading ‘Johnny CASH’. He was released after his bail was  cut from $250,000 to $50,000.

The comic’s lawyer Dana Cole accused the state district attorney of ‘overreach’ in trying to make Mencia the ‘poster child’ of a new business tax fraud unit.

Outside court, he told reporters there were ‘reasons why this happened, which I’m not going to get into’.

If convicted on all charges, the 58-year-old comedian – whose real name is Ned Arnel Holness – faces up to 11 years and four months in state prison.

LA County district attorney  Nathan Hochman has branded Mencia one of the ‘California's biggest tax scofflaws’ and claimed the comedian was sent 78 warning notices about not filing his tax returns.

Outside of his criminal woes, Mencia has long been branded a joke thief by the American comedy community – claims he has always denied.

Published: 23 Jun 2026