EXCLUSIVE: Kevin Hart's Business on Life Support — Pint-Sized Comic's Company Collapsing Amid Claims of Absent Boss' Greed
Kevin Hart's business faces turmoil as claims of greed and an absent boss fuel concerns.
June 16 2026, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Funnyman Kevin Hart has little to laugh about as his media production company is unraveling around him and former employees have come forward to expose his dark, "greedy" side, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The biggest clue that Hartbeat was suffering arrhythmia was revealed last Thanksgiving when the business – once valued at $650million – reportedly sacked approximately 20 people, a full 25 percent of the company's workforce.
CEO Return Failed To Deliver
Kevin Hart reportedly returned to an active CEO role at Hartbeat in January 2025 following a series of executive departures.
Hart, 46, later downplayed the layoffs, saying: "Making money in the business is important," and he decided to "downsize and save the money."
But he insisted his company is not on the brink of closure: "Hartbeat is never going anywhere."
More workers linked to podcasting and scripted television, like his animated series, Lil Kev, were also reportedly dismissed in the following months.
Hart returned to an active CEO role in January 2025 after a slew of top executive departures, and promised a new game plan to get the train back on track.
But he reportedly did the opposite – being absent for weeks at a time, missing meetings and delegating more duties to execs.
Staff Felt Star Was Disappearing
Authentic Brands Group acquired commercial rights to Kevin Hart's name and a stake in Hartbeat in a deal completed in January.
Sources said staff felt he was distancing himself from the production company, which branched into short-form digital video and branded advertising, even changing his phone number to be less accessible.
In January, Hart sold the commercial rights to his name and a stake in his company to licensing giant Authentic Brands Group. Some staffers reportedly believed the deal signaled the end for Hartbeat.
In February, things took another ugly turn when the company filed a lawsuit against ex-staffers Eric Eddings and Lesley Gwam, claiming misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract when they started their own business.
Miesha Shakes, Hart's former executive assistant, said the lawsuit is the star's bitter attempt to keep his former workers from being successful.
Critics Say Greed Took Over
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Miesha Shakes criticized Hartbeat's lawsuit against former employees Eric Eddings and Lesley Gwam over alleged trade secret and contract violations.
"A person can tell you that they're here for you and then when you try to be successful outside on your own outside of their company, they're not really there for you," she claimed.
Hartbeat's turmoil is just the latest embarrassing scandal for the actor.
In 2017, he confessed to cheating on his wife, Eniko Parrish, while she was pregnant with their son.
Two years later, he stepped down from hosting the Oscars when past homophobic tweets and jokes by him came to light, leading to a public apology.
"It's sad, and this is a situation when greed goes too far. We're just seeing Kevin spiral out of control, it seems like, due to money," a source added.
