After seven years, Kevin Hart’s legal drama involving his 2017 sex tape scandal has finally come to an end.
If you’ll remember, in 2018, Hart’s former friend Jonathan “J.T.” Jackson was charged with four felony counts in connection with an alleged extortion attempt involving a leaked sex tape of Hart. In the video, Hart could be seen in a compromising position with a woman who was not his wife during a trip to Las Vegas.
Suggested Reading
The charges were later dropped against Jackson and the “Fight Night” star subsequently released a video on Instagram in 2021 essentially clearing Jackson and expressed that he was “happy that that chapter in my life is over.”
However, Jackson later argued in a July 2024 breach of contract lawsuit that the verbiage in Hart’s video violated the verbiage he was contractually obligated to say to make it clear that Jackson “had nothing to do” with the sex tape. In return, Jackson was seeking $12 million in damages.
Now, it looks like Jackson won’t be receiving a penny as a judge ruled in Hart’s favor on Wednesday (Oct. 31), as noted by Atlanta Black Star. Judge Daniel S. Murphy has now ruled that Jackson “forfeited his right to pursue his $12 million suit against former friend Hart in arbitration” citing a previous clause that stated that the two men agreed to settlement terms through private arbitration, which included no monetary compensation.
What’s interesting to note, however, is that Jackson also threatened a defamation suit against the “Lift” star, which could renew the legal battle between the two former friends should Jackson decide to pursue it once arbitration for this case is over.
In a statement on behalf of Hart, his lawyers told Rolling Stone: “We will hold people accountable to their agreements.” Lawyers for Jackson plan to file an appeal to this ruling soon.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.