Carlos Mencia isn’t the only celebrity in California’s tax crosshairs, a newly surfaced list of the state’s 500 biggest tax delinquents also names an R&B icon and a former NBA star among the high-profile names accused of owing major tax debts.
NBA star Malik Beasley and singer Toni Braxton are on the California Franchise Tax Board’s top 500 tax delinquencies list, owing monstrous unpaid sums to the state.
Beasley — who previously played for the Los Angeles Lakers and played for the Detroit Pistons last season — is listed as owing about $1.9 million alongside his former partner, Montana Yao. A lien was filed against the two in October of last year related to a Beverly Hills ZIP code.
Beasley recently joined the a Puerto Rican overseas team, Cangrejeros de Santurce, this year but was released last month.
He recently drew controversy as federal authorities announced investigation into alleged gambling activities while he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA then announced its own investigation into him. The results of the investigations are unclear yet.
“An investigation is not a charge,” Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN. “Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.”
Another prominent celebrity, Braxton, also has a top spot on the state tax evaders list.
The “Un-Break My Heart” vocalist owes California about $438,000 in taxes and had a lien filed in December 2018.
Braxton has had financial issues within the past few years, including getting hit with liens from federal and state authorities in 2017. She had immense success in the 90s, but fizzled out in the new century.
She’s also admitted to having some lavish spending habits, forcing her to file for bankruptcy twice.
“I love dishes and house things, so I kind of lost it a little bit on the houseware,” Braxton said to “Good Morning America.” In another instance, she filed bankruptcy because she got sick after she paid all her vendors for her Las Vegas residency.
The Los Angeles DA’s office mentioned Mencia’s spot on the top 500 list Thursday.
Los Angeles County DA Nathan Hochman branded Mencia one of the “500 greatest tax delinquents” after the comedian allegedly dodged filings for $8.7 million of his wealth over five years.
Speaking at a press conference in downtown LA, the DA claimed Mencia was handed 78 warning notices after the state of California missed out on about $300,000 in taxes.
Six of the counts against him were related to personal taxes, with the other six associated with his businesses between 2019 and 2024.
If convicted, Mencia faces up to 10 years in prison. The jokester was arrested at his home in Encino at 7:05 a.m. Thursday by Hochman’s new Business Tax Fraud Unit he created to target tax crimes.
The California Post reached out to reps for Beasley and Braxton for comment.
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