“I’m not perfect, I’m not gonna sit up here and say that I am or claim to be in any way, shape or form." - Kevin Hart
Since last Sunday (September 17th), an extortion attempt was made against the comedian. The plot involves a sexually explicit tape that shows Mr. Hart was caught stepping out of the sanctity of his marriage.
Beginnings of the Scandal
As was first reported by TMZ, the alleged tape features photos as well, and places Kevin in a private room, laying in a compromising position with a woman. The video then cuts to a physically intimate encounter, and although the two people having sex cannot be seen, it is implied that Hart is one of the people involved. The tape is supposedly not a single recording, but rather a mash-up of sorts that combines Kevin Hart interviews and stand-up performances where he references his past issues with infidelity with the incriminating footage. After the sex scene, an undressed man that reportedly looks and sounds like Kevin can be seen walking around the room.
The Other Woman
An additional report has confirmed that a traveling stripper named Montia Sabbag has been identified as the woman in the video. Montia allegedly met Kevin in Vegas, and the 27-year-old Long Beach native claims she has nothing to do with the making of the video. The entire scandal has prompted Kevin to respond via an Instagram post, where the comedian apologizes to his wife and kids. In the post, Kevin admits to making, “a bad error in judgment,” and putting himself, “in an environment where only bad things can happen, and they did.” He also states that he would rather fess up to his mistakes than allow the extortionist to make a financial gain off his name.
"I made a bad error in judgement [and], in doing that, I know I’m gonna hurt the people closest to me.[...]" - Kevin Hart
Hart's History With Infidelity
This isn’t the first time Kevin has been caught up in a scandal. The highest paid comedian in the world admitted to cheating on his first wife, Torrei Hart, in his stand-up special Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain. The couple divorced in 2011. Torrei claims that infidelity ruined their marriage, and it seems like this is a reoccurring pattern for Kevin.
In July, a video of Mr. Hart and an unidentified woman flirting in his car hit the web, and rumors started to circulate that he was up to no good again. Kevin shot down the allegations of infidelity, and the internet swiftly moved on. Then in August, Eniko Parrish (Kevin’s pregnant wife) posted a celebratory anniversary Instagram post. Eniko and Kevin look stunning in the picture that was taken on their wedding day, but it’s the caption that got my attention. Eniko writes, “I love you more every day. 8 years together… 1 year married.” The statement seems harmless until you realize that Kevin got divorced six years ago. It appears that he was involved with Eniko while he was still married to Torrei. What a mess.
What's Next?
While Kevin refuses to pay the reported eight-figure ransom, the FBI is investigating the extortion plot. Extortion is a felony in the state of California, and the penalty is up to four years in prison with a maximum fine of $10,000. The Bureau claims to already have a suspect in the case. Hopefully Hart gets his act together soon, for the sake of his family as well as his PR image.