Kevin Hart's Company Seeks Privacy In $12 Million Fraud Lawsuit By Former Friend

The drama between Kevin Hart and his former pal Jonathan T. Jackson continues with a petition for arbitration.

The "Borderlands" star, through his company Hartbeat LLC, recently filed a motion to have his dispute with his ex-friend held in private. The duo's falling out made waves earlier this year when Jackson filed a $12 million fraud lawsuit.

The latter accused Kevin Hart of destroying his career in the entertainment industry and then breaching the terms of their settlement. However, the comedian claims their agreement never entailed a public battle.

According to new court documents, Hart's company filed a petition to move his case with Jackson out of Los Angeles Superior Court and into arbitration. 

Per WIPO, arbitration is the process by which a dispute is submitted, by agreement of the parties, to one or more arbitrators who decide on it. In choosing arbitration, the parties opt for a private dispute resolution procedure instead of going to court.

Hart and Jackson's case would be heard by a private judge instead of being dragged out in court. The proceedings would be sealed, and none of the filings would be released to the public.

In the documents obtained by In Touch, the legal rep for Hartbeat LLC argued that Jackson entered into an agreement with the company and his former pal in July 2021. The terms of their deal stipulated that all disputes would be heard in arbitration.

In their argument, the attorney for Hart's company noted that: "Each of [Jonathan's] claims against Hartbeat (the first, second, third, and fifth) relate to whether [Kevin and his company] breached the contract."

"Whether [Jonathan] was fraudulently induced to enter the contract (which Jackson maintains is valid and enforceable), whether [Hart and his company's] breach of the contract inflicted emotional distress on [Jonathan]," the legal rep continued, adding:

"And whether [Jonathan] can even bring a defamation claim, which would have been released as part of [Jonathan's] obligations under the contract."

While Hart's company believed they and the comedian were not guilty, The Blast reported that Jackson shared a different story. His $12 million fraud lawsuit against his ex-friend made waves in July with claims of a smear campaign.

"[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," Jackson's lawsuit claimed.

Jackson noted his downfall 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 actor.

However, Jackson claimed Hart held him responsible for the scandal and fabricated extortion claims against him. His lawsuit alleged: "Although Hart did not personally accuse [Jonathan] at this stage, he contributed to initiating these false claims."

Jackson claimed that Hart's false extortion claims against him led to his arrest, and then the comedian ruined his image by publicly accusing him of leaking the sex tape in 2019. Despite their differences, the pair settled in 2021.

According to their settlement, Hart was to "pursue and advocate for the dismissal of the criminal charges against [Jonathan] and make a public statement exonerating him." However, he did not honor these terms.

Because he stayed silent, Jackson stressed that his reputation suffered "significant harm and irreparable damage." On that note, he wanted Hart to cough up $12 million in damages, citing breach of written contract, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Jackson's lawsuit, perThe Blast, followed an update on Hart's defamation lawsuit against his former assistant, Miesha Shakes. She argued that the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) she signed should not be upheld.

"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 the critical need for health insurance and funds, as I could not afford health insurance or my prescribed medications."

Based on these claims, Shakes wanted the NDA tossed to enable her to defend herself in court without restrictions. Her battle with Hart began in December 2023 when he sued her and the blogger Tasha K for defamation.

Will Kevin Hart emerge victorious in these lawsuits?