By Aruna Viswanatha

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Michael "The Situation" Sorrentino, star of reality TV show "Jersey Shore," and his brother have been charged with not properly paying taxes on $8.9 million in income, according to an indictment handed down on Wednesday.

Sorrentino, who popularized the phrase "gym, tan, laundry" to refer to the pre-party routine of the show's cast members, allegedly failed to report income and claimed clothes and cars as business expenses.

The brothers, who are charged with conspiring to defraud the United States and filing false tax returns, are expected to appear in federal court later on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey said.

The MTV show "Jersey Shore," which stopped production in 2012, featured a cast of 20-something Italian Americans partying, tanning and complaining about their jobs at a beach-front T-shirt stand.

(Reporting by Aruna Viswanatha; Editing by Susan Heavey and Cynthia Osterman)