American comedian and actor, Kevin Hart is taking legal action against Tasha K after the controversial gossip blogger allegedly asked him to pay $250,000 to prevent the release of a tell-all interview conducted with his former assistant.
In legal documents obtained by The Blast, Hart alleges Tasha K – real name Latasha Transrina Kebe asked him to make a payment to prevent the release of the interview.
Hart, 44, subsequently sent Kebe a cease and desist letter, informing her he would not pay the six-figure amount she sought.
The lawsuit claims that Miesha Shakes, Hart’s former assistant, made ‘false and defamatory statements regarding Hart’ in the interview, according to Page Six.
Shakes made allegations ‘that were false, including that Hart recorded a video of a sexual encounter, and that he faced criminal charges regarding that supposed incident,’ according to the lawsuit viewed by People.
The lawsuit described how a person claiming to be connected to Kebe’s blog contacted a member of Hart’s team and threatened to ‘publish a damaging story on social media (the “Story”).’
The individual was allegedly directed by Kebe to contact Hart with the offer.
Page Six reports Kebe threatened to ‘publish the interview unless Hart paid a ransom of $250,000.’
Ultimately, Kevin did not make any payment, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Kebe claimed that the accounts told during the interview would be ‘damaging to [his] reputation’, Hart’s filing states.
The allegations made by Shakes in the interview include claims that Hart had been unfaithful to his wife and that the actor had a gambling problem.
‘In advance of your threatened publication of the Story, you posted a “teaser” with Ms Shakes on YouTube which clearly was intended as a threat, sending a message to Mr. Hart’s team that the more detailed Story would not be published if – and only if – the ransom is paid,’ the lawsuit said, according to The Blast.
In the teaser, Kebe and Miesha ‘touted the supposedly salacious and damaging nature’ of the sit-down, according to Page Six.
‘The teaser included a statement from Kebe at the 2:06 mark of the video specifically warning that “when you don’t pay, we have to get money by any means necessary,”‘ the lawsuit claims, according to Page Six.
The police were then allegedly contacted by Hart’s team and a cease and desist letter was sent to Kebe.
In the letter, it stated that Shakes had signed a non-disclosure agreement with Hart during her employment and that releasing the interview ‘would constitute intentional interference with contractual relations’ between Hart and Shakes, according to People.
Kebe ultimately informed Hart she would be publishing the interview in its entirety on December 22, and it dropped on her subscription-based website later that evening.
Page Six reports that both Kebe and Shakes are being sued by Hart for extortion and invasion of privacy.
Shakes is also being sued for breach of contract and defamation. Hart is also suing Kebe for intentional interference with contractual relations and defamation.
Kebe’s company, Kebe Studios LLC, is also being sued for defamation, civil extortion, breach of contract, and invasion of privacy, according to the LA Times
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‘Kebe has an established history of posting defamatory and otherwise improper content regarding celebrities,’ Kevin’s lawsuit read.
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