Kevin Hart is facing a $12 million lawsuit from his former friend, Jonathan “J.T.” Jackson, over allegations of breach of contract, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, centers around a settlement agreement from 2021 that was intended to clear Jackson’s name in connection with Hart’s sex-tape cheating scandal.
Jackson, a Navy veteran, professional bowler, and actor, claims that Hart failed to use the agreed-upon wording from their settlement when addressing the scandal in an Instagram post. This deviation, Jackson argues, has caused significant damage to his reputation and career.
The lawsuit details that Hart was contractually obligated to use “specific verbiage” to publicly exonerate Jackson. This wording was crucial to repairing the damage caused by the extortion allegations that Hart had publicized. Jackson’s home was raided in January 2018 by investigators looking into these allegations, which Jackson believes Hart initiated. Although the charges were eventually dropped, Jackson’s reputation suffered greatly.
The complaint also mentions Hart’s 2019 Netflix docuseries “Don’t F— This Up,” which discussed the extortion allegations and implicated Jackson in the creation and dissemination of the sex tape. Both Jackson and Hart were sued for $60 million by Montia Sabbag, the woman in the tape, but that lawsuit was dismissed, and Jackson was cleared of all allegations.
According to the new lawsuit, Jackson did not receive any money from the settlement with Hart. Instead, the agreement was meant to clear his name. Hart’s public statement was supposed to include specific language that would exonerate Jackson and acknowledge the loss of their friendship due to the legal issues. However, Hart’s actual statement in an October 2021 Instagram video did not meet these requirements.
Hart’s statement said, “J.T. Jackson has recently been found not guilty, and those charges have been dropped against him, and I can finally speak on what I once couldn’t.” He also mentioned that their friendship was lost due to the legal process but did not explicitly state that Jackson had nothing to do with the extortion plot.
Jackson’s attorney, Daniel L. Reback, argues that Hart’s statement deviated significantly from the agreed-upon verbiage. The lawsuit claims that Hart’s statement lacked the explicit declaration of Jackson’s innocence and did not acknowledge the personal and professional toll on Jackson.
In addition to $12 million, Jackson is seeking punitive damages, legal costs, and injunctions requiring the defendants to exonerate him. He also wants the removal of all false statements about him in the Netflix docuseries.
Reback stated, “The facts in the complaint speak for themselves. We are confident that the lawsuit will end with Mr. Jackson’s complete victory and vindication.” A spokesperson for Hart was not available for comment.
Hart has spoken publicly about the sex-tape saga multiple times, apologizing to his wife, Eniko Parrish, who was pregnant at the time. In a September 2017 Instagram video, Hart apologized for his actions, stating, “I gotta do better and I will. I’m not perfect and have never claimed to be.” He later confessed to the infidelity in a December 2017 interview with “The Breakfast Club,” calling it “Kevin Hart in his dumbest moment.”
Jackson’s lawsuit aims to restore his reputation and seek accountability for the alleged breach of contract. He stated, “But it’s been three years since Kevin promised to help clear my name, to no avail. So here we are. Through this lawsuit, I aim to restore my reputation, seek accountability, and ensure that such injustices do not happen to others.”
Source: The Times, In Touch
