Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino could receive up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion on Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
The 36-year-old reality TV star pleaded guilty to tax evasion, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
According to the Department of Justice, Sorrentino admitted to concealing some of his income in 2011 to avoid paying the full amount of taxes that he owed, making cash deposits of less than $10,000 each into bank accounts in order to avoid the IRS’s attention.
Sorrentino’s brother/manager, Marc Sorrentino, also pleaded guilty on Friday, admitting to aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return. He faces a maximum of three years in prison.
Both brothers, who are scheduled for sentencing on April 25, also face a potential $250,000 fine.
“What the defendants admitted to today, quite simply, is tantamount to stealing money from their fellow taxpayers,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “All of us are required by law to pay our fair share of taxes. Celebrity status does not provide a free pass from this obligation.”
The good news for Sitch? According to TMZ, the judge in his case is allowing him to travel to Florida to tape an upcoming “Jersey Shore” reunion. TheWrap has reached out to Sorrentino’s spokeswoman for comment.