Kevin Hart is suing his former assistant and a YouTuber, who allegedly demanded a six-figure payout not to publish what the actor claims is a defamatory interview.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, accuses Tasha K of spearheading a scheme to extort Hart out of $250,000 by threatening to run an interview with his former personal assistant Miesha Shakes. According to the complaint, Shakes made false statements during the conversation that included Hart facing criminal charges over recording a sexual encounter.
Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, has over a million subscribers on her YouTube channel, where she mostly posts about celebrity gossip. In March, a federal appeals court upheld a $4 million judgment against her for making defamatory claims that rapper Cardi B engaged in prostitution, had herpes and used cocaine, among other things.
In the suit, Hart claims that an unidentified affiliate of Kebe reached out to him in November stating that an interview damaging to his reputation would be published unless he paid a $250,000 ransom. The actor refused to pay, contacted law enforcement and sent a cease-and-desist to Kebe, according to the complaint. In the letter, Hart’s lawyers warned her that any damages she’s forced to pay as a result of her alleged misconduct won’t be dischargeable in bankruptcy.
“You have already engaged in criminal conduct and tortious acts that would entitle Mr. Hart to monetary damages against you should he elect to commence civil litigation regarding this matter,” wrote Donte Mills, a lawyer for Hart. “To the extent that you do not cease and desist now, your liability for such monetary damages will increase, as will your exposure to criminal penalties.”
The suit details a teaser for the interview posted in November in which she allegedly threatens Hart. “When you don’t pay, we have to get money by any means necessary,” Kebe said.
Hart also claims that Shakes violated her confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements by discussing confidential business and personal information relating to Hart.
“Notwithstanding the truth or falsity of any such statements, Shakes would only have had knowledge regarding such subjects as a result of her employment with Hart and Hartbeat,” states the complaint.
Shakes, who was employed by Hartbeat Productions from 2017 to 2020 as Hart’s personal assistant, said there are unidentified “loopholes” in the confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements that “enable her to escape the consequences of her brazenly violating her promises to Plaintiffs,” the suit says. The NDA provided for her to be paid $90,000 over three years.
In the interview, she claimed Hart was a serial cheater and gambling addict who paid an associate millions to take DUI charges for him. It was published in December on Kebe’s website, which can only be accessed for a monthly subscription fee.
As for allegedly defamatory statement, the suit only points to “statements regarding Hart and certain legal disputes in which he had been involved,” including that he “recorded a video of a sexual encounter, and that he faced criminal charges regarding that supposed incident.”
To prevail, Hart will have to prove that Shakes acted with a level of malice or recklessness necessary to meet the high standard for public figures to allege defamation. This includes an intent to harm with prior knowledge that what was said is false or was said in reckless disregard for the truth. Several defamation suits, including ones filed by Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and a person who sued over his portrayal in The Wolf of Street, have failed to meet the standard.
Kebe, who faces claims for extortion, intentional interference with contractual relations and invasion of privacy, wasn’t accused of defamation. In a statement, a representative for the YouTuber said, “Please watch the full interview.”
In 2017, Hart issued an apology for cheating on his wife with a woman who also allegedly tried to extort him.
