Jersey Shore’s Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino sentenced on tax charges

Michael “the Situation” Sorrentino, star of the MTV reality series “Jersey Shore” was sentenced to eight months in prison Friday for violating federal tax laws, while his brother Marc received a 24-month sentence.

The 37-year-old reality TV star pleaded guilty in January to tax evasion, while his 39-year-old brother pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return (see Jersey Shore’s Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino pleads guilty to tax evasion). U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton imposed the sentences in a federal court in Newark, New Jersey.

The younger Sorrentino, whose nickname was “The Situation,” appeared in the MTV show from 2009 to 2012 as part of a group of young people who hung out on the Jersey shore. A newer series, "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation," is currently in its second season. To take advantage of his celebrity, he and his brother Marc created businesses, such as MPS Entertainment LLC and Situation Nation Inc.

Michael Sorrentino admitted that in tax year 2011, he earned taxable income, some of which was paid in cash, and he took action to hide some of his income to avoid paying the full amount of taxes he owed. He made cash deposits into bank accounts in amounts less than $10,000 so the deposits wouldn’t attract the notice of the IRS.

His brother Marc Sorrentino admitted that during tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012, he earned taxable income and he helped his accountants prepare his personal tax return for those years, intentionally giving them false information. His personal tax returns under-reported his total income and taxable income.

“Tax crimes, plain and simple, are an outright theft from the hardworking American public,” said John R. Tafur, special agent in charge at IRS Criminal Investigation’s Newark Field Office, in a statement. “The courts recognize the severity of these crimes and now Michael and Marc Sorrentino are convicted felons with prison sentences to serve for intentionally disregarding their tax obligations to our country.”

On top of the prison terms, Judge Wigenton sentenced Michael Sorrentino to two years of supervised release, 500 hours of community service, $123,000 in restitution (which has already been paid) and fined him $10,000. Marc Sorrentino was sentenced to one year of supervised release, and fined $7,500, with the amount of restitution to be determined at a later date.

Sorrentino reportedly apologized to the court, according to CNBC, and said he had overcome substance abuse. "Today I'm the man I should have been years ago," he said, according to the New York Daily News.