Kevin Hart Slammed With $12 Million Fraud Lawsuit By Former Friend

Kevin Hart's legal troubles continue, with fellow actor Jonathan T. Jackson suing him for destroying his career.

According to Jackson, his life got flipped upside down after the "Ride Along" star accused him of false extortion claims and blamed him for his leaked sex tape. Now, he is suing the latter for $12 million in damages.

Jonathan T. Jackson isn't the only lawsuit Kevin Hart is facing. He also sued his former assistant, Miesha Shakes, for defamation.

Jackson did not hold back against bashing Hart in his lawsuit, accusing him of breach of written contract, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He blamed the 45-year-old for his ruined career, claiming:

"[His reputation] was unjustly tarnished due to a series of malicious actions by the defendants, leading to profound emotional distress, financial losses, and professional setbacks."

The drama between the former pals, per Jackson's recollection, began in August 2017 following the release of Hart's infamous sex tape with Montia Sabbag. The extramarital affair was highly publicized, igniting criticisms against the cheating husband.

However, Jackson claimed Hart held him responsible for the scandal and fabricated false extortion claims against him. "Although Hart did not personally accuse [Jonathan] at this stage, he contributed to initiating these false claims," the suit obtained by In Touch argued.

Jackson recalled that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office conducted a raid initiated from the extortion report "falsely reported" by Hart and his team.

This eventually led to his arrest following "a second, similarly fabricated extortion report falsely made by [Kevin] on April 27, 2018."

The situation worsened for Jackson in 2019 when Hart released a stand-up special. The latter allegedly accused him of extortion and involvement in the sex tape's creation and dissemination.

According to Jonathan, this comedy special "significantly influenced public opinion and damaged" his reputation with the entertainment industry. He claimed he settled with Kevin two years later, in July 2021; however, the plot only thickened.

According to the alleged settlement terms, Hart was to "pursue and advocate for the dismissal of the criminal charges against [Jonathan] and make a public statement exonerating him." The message partly read:

"I'm proud to say that all charges against JT Jackson have been dropped, and he is not guilty and had nothing to do with it, and this matter at hand that once was so tough to deal with and so heavy for me and my household is now put to bed."

However, this statement never saw the light of day because Hart allegedly breached the terms of their written contract. Because he stayed mute, he caused "significant harm and irreparable damage" to Jackson's reputation.

Jackson's lawsuit against Hart comes at the heels of an update in the latter's defamation case against his former assistant, Miesha Shakes. The Blast recently reported the actor's ex-employee threw a wrench in his plans by challenging a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

According to Shakes, the NDA stipulated that Hart would pay her $30,000 annually for three years and provide her health insurance. In return, she agreed not to discuss the actor or disclose any information she acquired while working for him.

The agreement also prohibited Shakes from exploiting Hart's name without his consent. However, in new documents, she argued that the NDA should not be upheld in the defamation lawsuit.

In her argument, Hart's former assistant claimed the NDA wasn't signed on moral terms because of her mental health issues. She claimed the actor was aware of her struggles but exploited her vulnerability in the agreement.

"At the time of signing the NDA, I was suffering from significant mental health issues and was under considerable financial distress due to my unemployment," Shakes claimed, noting:

"Hart was fully aware of my ongoing health issues and critical need for health insurance and funds, as I could not afford health insurance or my prescribed medications."

The drama between Kevin Hart and Melissa Shakes began in December 2023 when he sued her and YouTuber Tasha K for defamation.

Will Kevin Hart come out victorious in all these lawsuits or would he settle out of court? Only time will tell!