The famous star of MTV's Jersey Shore Mike Sorrentino, also known as 'The Situation', has appeared before a judge in Newark on Wednesday to answer to charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to commit tax fraud.
The 33-years old TV star, who was charged along with his brother and manager Marc Sorrentino of failing to pay taxes on nearly $9 million, has pleaded not guilty at the hearing in a federal court in New Jersey on Monday.
Legal experts say if the brothers are found guilty, they could be sentenced to up to 15 years in jail and ordered to pay fines amounting to more than a million dollars.
Officials accuse the Sorrentinos of attempting to avoid paying taxes on their incomes by mixing their personal finances with that of their jointly-owned businesses.
Johnathan D. Larsen, the acting special agent for the IRS Criminal Investigation outfit in Newark, is quoted explaining that "Rather than living in reality and reporting their true income, Michael Sorrentino and his brother Marc created the illusion that they earned less income by filling false and fraudulent tax returns."
Meanwhile, the case against both men has been adjourned after the brief hearing yesterday. Reports indicate that the accused brothers, who were released on a bond of $250,000 each, are set to reappear before a different judge on Oct. 6.
Mike Sorrentino was catapulted into fame after appearing in MTV's highly successful TV series Jersey Shore in 2009. Since then he has gone on to earn the accolade of being a 'TV star' after featuring in many notable shows.
Shortly after emerging from the court house on Wednesday, reports indicate that the star, who has been indicted on about seven charges, shared his upbeat expectations about the outcome of the trial on Instagram saying "to be old and wise you must first be young and dumb."
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