Kevin Hart Sues YouTuber Tasha K for Extortion and Defamation

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart has filed a lawsuit against YouTuber Tasha K for alleged extortion and defamation, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Hart's lawsuit follows a cease and desist letter that was sent to the vlogger, whose real name is Latasha Transrina Kebe, after she allegedly threatened to release an interview with his former assistant.

According to the Blast, court documents revealed Hart's legal team sent the cease and desist on November 22 regarding "recent and ongoing violations of civil and criminal law."

The letter to Kebe stated, "You have already engaged in criminal conduct and tortious acts that would entitle Mr. Hart to monetary damages against you should he elect to commence civil litigation regarding this matter. To the extent that you do not cease and desist now, your liability for such monetary damages will increase, as will your exposure to criminal penalties."

According to Hart's legal rep, Donte Mills, the letter was sent after an individual claiming to be associated with Kebe's blog, Unwine with Tasha K, reached out to a member of the comedian's team.

The unidentified person, who was said to be allegedly acting on Kebe's instruction, informed Hart's camp of her intent to "publish a damaging story on social media (the “Story")."

To keep the "story" from going public, Hart was allegedly told to pay a whopping $250,000.

Hart's lawsuit claimed the act fell "under Penal Code Section 518," which "gives rise to both criminal and civil liability against you and anyone involved in your efforts to extort Mr. Hart."

Kebe's alleged "effort to extract payment" by means of "threatening exposure of information supposedly harmful to him" was slammed as "a textbook example" of a violation of the law.

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Upon informing police of the incident, Hart's legal team reportedly told investigators that they believed "the Story" centered on "an interview with Mr. Hart’s former assistant Miesha Shakes that supposedly includes scandalous assertions against him."

"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 Hart’s team that the more detailed Story would not be published if – and only if – the ransom is paid," Hart's legal team stated.

Additionally, a non-disclosure agreement allegedly signed by Shakes was also noted by Hart's team to highlight the potential violation of the legal document from "the Story."

Mills also pointed to a defamation lawsuit filed by rapper Cardi B against Kebe, as he highlighted her YouTube channel's experience with "defamatory and otherwise improper content regarding celebrities and other high-profile individuals."

A judge found Kebe "liable for civil damages exceeding $3 million" against Cardi B — and as a result, the vlogger filed for "bankruptcy protection."

Mills warned Kebe she would not escape "liability for monetary damages to Mr. Hart that you incur as a result of the misconduct described herein."