Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino of reality TV fame is facing quite a situation of his own following indictment on suspicion of tax fraud Wednesday at a New Jersey federal court.

Known as one of the stars of "Jersey Shore," and since featured on a reality show of his own with his family, Sorrentino, the master of GTL, or "gym, tan, laundry," and brother, Marc Sorrentino, were accused of conspiracy to defraud the government by filing false tax returns from 2010 through 2013.

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The brothers Sorrentino appeared at a preliminary hearing at Newark federal court on Wednesday. Formal arraignment was set for Oct. 6.

Federal prosecutors said the boys failed to pay taxes in US$9 million made through various projects. The Sorrentino brothers didn't report substantial cash earnings paid for promotional appearances, according to court documents.

Not that it's been a walk on the beach for the Sitch since leaving the shore. He was court ordered into anger management classes following a brawl with another brother, Frank Sorrentino, earlier this year. Following that incident, his attorney for the case sued him for unpaid legal fees.

Sorrentino's new lawyer, Christopher Adams, called the tax fraud charges -- What else? -- "pure fiction." Adams said the Sorrentinos spent the better part of the last year explaining what happened to the money and taxes. The government was pinning its case on "the word of a disgraced accountant who is a proven liar," Adams added.

Sorrentino has been earning appearance fees for showing up at nightclub openings and other events. Court filings said he received US$1,500 to US$48,000 for appearances that weren't reported to IRS officials. The brothers Sorrentino used limited liability corporations to move money around instead of listing the assets as income, according to court documents.

In a written statement, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said the brothers also listed cars and costly clothes as business expenses and transferred business profits to personal bank accounts.

One of the most glaring transgressions, according to prosecutors, was listing almost US$1.2 million as business expenses for their MPS Entertainment LLC when the money actually was spent on designer clothes and luxury vehicles.

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