Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino Receives 8-Month Prison Sentence In Tax Fraud Case
The verdict is in.
Jersey Shore star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino was handed an 8-month prison sentence on Friday after pleading guilty for tax evasion in January, per People.
A New Jersey federal court judge sentenced Sorrentino, 36, to less than a year of prison followed by two years of “supervised release” after he pleaded guilty to one count of tax fraud earlier this year. He was accompanied by his fiancée, Lauren Pesce, and his Jersey Shore family as he waited for the judge to deliver his ruling.
As many fans might be aware, Sorrentino and his brother, Marc, were first indicted for tax evasion back in September 2014 — after they had both failed to pay due taxes on over $8 million worth of income between 2010-2012. In April of last year, more charges were filed against both men, which consisted of: “tax evasion, structuring and falsifying records.”
Sorrentino’s defense team were pushing hard for the judge to show leniency towards the reality-TV star on the basis that he did not act as the ringleader in the tax scheme, and his attorney had even requested that Sorrentino only be given probation for his supposed “minor role.”
It appears that the judge did take into consideration Sorrentino’s guilty plea as well as his overall role in the crime, as prosecutors were hoping for a much harsher prison sentence of at least 14 months on the basis that “tax fraud will be met with real punishment.”
#JerseyShore's Mike Sorrentino has been sentenced to 8 months in prison for tax evasion. https://t.co/Wwlxf8tVeT pic.twitter.com/5Z0m2EUSgD
— E! News (@enews) October 5, 2018
On the other hand, Sorrentino’s brother — who plead guilty to one count of “aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return” — was not so lucky. He was given a much harsher prison sentence of 2 years on Friday as well.
There is also the possibility that the judge took into consideration Sorrentino’s hard work and determination to get himself clean.
After heading to rehab two times for his substance abuse addiction relating to prescription painkillers, Sorrentino revealed earlier this year that he had “worked so hard to turn my life around and be the best person I can be.”
“I did it, and good things came around. I’ve done everything in my power to better myself. I really feel that I’m in the best situation possible,” he said at the time.
Sorrentino felt that his hard work of achieving sobriety was put to the test when he returned for the Jersey Shore reboot.
“I had a very strong foundation for my recovery with over two years [sobriety] when I entered the house. But I did have to challenge myself to go out and film a whole season of Jersey Shore and have fun without alcohol — to show the youth out there that it is possible,” he noted.
At this time, it is not clear when Sorrentino is due to begin his sentence.
