Kevin Hart's Ex-Assistant Seeks Montia Sabbag Testimony in Defamation Lawsuit

In the ongoing legal dispute between Kevin Hart and his former assistant, Miesha Shakes is seeking to depose a key figure from the comedian's past. According to court documents obtained by TMZ and reported by theGrio, Shakes wants to question Montia Sabbag about a 2017 sex tape scandal and the subsequent law enforcement investigation. Shakes also indicated in court filings that she plans to testify personally and call Hart to the witness stand as part of her defense strategy.

The legal action originated in December 2023 when Hart filed a lawsuit against Shakes, accusing his former employee of breach of contract and defamation. Shakes worked for Hart’s company from August 2017 through October 2020. Hart’s complaint stemmed from an online interview Shakes gave to blogger Latasha Kebe, professionally known as Tasha K. During that interview, Shakes made several assertions regarding Hart's personal life. Hart denied Shakes' statements that he had recorded a sexual encounter and faced criminal charges.

In her legal filings, Shakes argues that the nondisclosure agreement she signed should be deemed invalid, claiming Hart failed to fulfill his required obligations under the contract. Conversely, Hart maintains that the agreement remains legally binding and that Shakes’ public comments caused significant damage to his professional reputation. In June 2026, Hart requested that a judge order Shakes to pay $50,000 in damages, citing a financial penalty clause written into their signed agreement.

Countering Hart’s claims of reputational injury, Shakes asserts that any damage to the comedian’s public standing was the direct result of his own prior conduct. In court documents, she specifically cited the 2017 Las Vegas recording controversy as an example of existing damage to his public image before her interview took place. Sabbag previously filed a federal lawsuit against Hart in 2019, alleging that her sexual encounter with him at a Las Vegas hotel had been recorded without her consent.

Hart denied all allegations of wrongdoing. That federal action was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds in 2020. Sabbag subsequently brought a separate civil suit in California state court, which was dismissed without prejudice in June 2023 after neither Sabbag nor her attorney appeared at a scheduled court conference. A judge officially denied her attempt to reinstate the case in February 2024, though court rulings did not establish whether the underlying allegations were true.

At present, the lawsuit between Hart and Shakes remains active. According to reporting by theGrio, it has not yet been established whether Sabbag will testify in the proceeding. Kulture Newz has not independently confirmed whether subpoenas have been served.