Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, former “Jersey Shore” star, is expected to plead guilty to federal tax charges.
Sorrentino, an Italian-American from Staten Island, worked as a fitness center assistant manager and an underwear model before becoming one of the stars of MTV's “Jersey Shore” in 2009, and he remained on the show until its sixth season in 2012.
The 'Situation's' rise to fame
The reality show documented the lives and the drama of party-obsessed young adults in New Jersey, with Sorrentino as one of the more vocal members of the cast. The show’s fame gave Sorrentino the opportunity to appear on multiple other shows since then, such as "Worst Cooks in America," "Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars - Family Edition," and even his own show, "The Sorrentinos," as well as being a guest on shows such as "The Howard Stern Show," "The Tonight Show" with Conan O’Brien, and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Sorrentino’s work normally centered on lighthearted, trivial plots.
"Jersey Shore," for example, mainly focused on hook-ups, drinking, and feuds between the main cast, with arguments that revolved around things such as strippers and forgotten birthdays. He was known by the other members and audiences as “The Situation” because, as he stated in season 2 of the show, “my abs are so ripped up it’s called ‘the situation’”.
Before this case, Sorrentino had generally remained in good legal standing. He was arrested once in 2014 after getting into a fight in Middletown Township, New Jersey, and had once checked himself into a rehab center in Utah in 2012 to get over an addiction of oxycodone.
From star to behind bars
ABC News reports that now, however, he’s facing something much more serious.
In 2014 he and his brother Marc were accused of attempting to hide much of their $8.9 million, and additional charges were added in April, including tax evasion and falsifying records. Neither of the brothers nor their attorneys have made any public comments about the matter, yet the family has agreed to plead guilty in the case.
While the 36-year-old initially refused, he has now written to a judge claiming that he will plead guilty. “The Situation” is looking at 15 Years in prison, while Marc is facing up to 25 years.
Neither member of the family nor their attorneys have publicly commented on the matter. Sorrentino had planned to be a part of the "Jersey Shore" spin-off, "The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation," yet it is unclear how this development will affect his role in the show.