Kevin Hart’s infamous 2017 sex-tape extortion case is once again causing him trouble, this time for reasons unrelated to infidelity. The comedian has been sued by his former friend, actor Jonathan “J.T.†Jackson, for allegedly breaching a settlement agreement and fabricating evidence in the case, “Page Six†reports. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, July 10, in Los Angeles, accuses Hart of neglecting to “uphold contractual obligations,†which have “negatively affected [Jackson’s] professional life and financial security,†including issuing an apology using an agreed-upon language that intended to mend Jackson’s reputation post-scandal. Remember, Jackson was slapped with four charges in May 2018 in connection to the release of a video where Hart has sex with a woman who isn’t his wife, including attempted extortion and identity theft. The charges were later dropped in 2021.
The “meticulously negotiated†settlement allegedly included a clause saying Hart must “issue a powerful public statement proclaiming [Jackson’s] innocence†over the sex-tape case. Hart’s apology statement allegedly should have said “the incident†cost him “a very valuable friendship,†mentioned that the charges were dropped, and emphasized that Jackson “is not guilty and had nothing to do with it.†In reality, Hart did not use that exact language in his 2021 Instagram post addressing the matter, opting to say the case “put a fork in the road between he and I, and our relationship was lost,†though he did mention the part about the dropped charges and not being guilty.
Hart’s former friend also alleged the comedian fabricated evidence that led to his 2018 arrest. According to the lawsuit, the email Hart used as evidence of extortion was allegedly created in Microsoft Word. “It was not a genuine email sent on the date claimed,†the lawsuit reads. Jackson is suing for at least $12 million in damages for breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, and more.