Kevin Hart is asking a California judge to stop Montia Sabbag, the woman from his 2017 Las Vegas sex tape scandal, from testifying in his lawsuit against his former assistant Miesha Shakes. Shakes, who worked for Hart from 2017 to 2020, recently named Sabbag as a potential witness. Hart’s new court filing argues Sabbag has nothing to do with the case and that Shakes listed her to embarrass him and stir up a fresh scandal.
That’s Hart’s argument. The complication is that his own lawsuit is part of why 2017 keeps coming back up.
Why does Kevin Hart want Montia Sabbag kept off the stand?
Hart says the case is narrow. In his filing, obtained by TMZ, he argues that only three people matter here, himself, Shakes and blogger Tasha K. Everyone else should be blocked unless Shakes can prove their testimony is relevant. He also says Shakes never discussed her witness list with his legal team before submitting it, which he calls improper.
Shakes, meanwhile, says Sabbag could speak about the tape and her later legal fight with Hart. She has also listed Hart himself as a potential witness.
How did Kevin Hart’s fight with Miesha Shakes start?
It started with an interview. Shakes told Tasha K that Hart had cheated on his wife several times and had gotten a woman pregnant. Hart denies the claims. His lawsuit says that before the interview went live, he got a call warning it would be published unless he paid $250,000. He says he refused, reported the call to police as alleged extortion and sent Tasha K a cease and desist letter, but the interview was published anyway. A man identified as Tasha K’s assistant has denied any involvement in an extortion attempt or payment demand.
The case has narrowed since then. In November 2024, a judge threw out Hart’s extortion claim against Shakes but allowed his defamation, invasion of privacy and breach of contract claims to move forward. The part of the case involving Tasha K was settled separately. Now it’s Hart against Shakes, who says the nondisclosure agreement she signed isn’t enforceable because Hart allegedly failed to meet his own obligations under it.
Could Kevin Hart’s own lawsuit put the 2017 tape in play?
Here’s what most coverage skips. Hart’s complaint says Shakes made false statements in the interview, including that he recorded a video of a sexual encounter and faced criminal charges over it. In a defamation case, truth is generally a defense. By claiming those statements are false, Hart may have given Shakes room to argue that the 2017 incident is relevant evidence.
There’s a wrinkle. Tasha K’s lawyer previously said the women were speaking casually when they mentioned charges and were referring to Sabbag’s lawsuit. The judge can still limit questions, exclude irrelevant evidence and keep the trial from turning into a review of every accusation ever made against Hart.
What happened with Montia Sabbag’s lawsuit against Kevin Hart?
In 2019, Sabbag filed a $60 million lawsuit claiming their encounter was recorded without her consent. Hart denied it. Her case was dismissed without a trial on the truth of her claims, so no court ever decided whether Hart took part in secretly recording the encounter or did not. That unresolved question is part of why her name still carries weight.
What happens next in the Kevin Hart case?
The judge has not ruled on whether Sabbag can testify. Shakes has been representing herself, preparing trial materials and even filing a written opening statement ahead of trial, which is unusual. One of the most famous comedians in the world is facing a former employee who does not have a lawyer.
This saga also says a lot about the celebrity tell all business. Tasha K was ordered to pay Cardi B $4 million after a jury sided with the rapper in a defamation case, and Tasha K later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Hart has made it clear he is willing to go just as far. Whether a judge lets his 2017 scandal into the courtroom may decide how this one ends.
