Kevin Hart has been dealing with a very personal situation in public, and this week it took a new turn. Prosecutors have announced charges against a man accused of trying to extort the comedian over a private video.
According to The Blast, the suspect, Jonathan, was reportedly part of Hart’s wider circle. The outlet cited sources who said he was not a close friend but was a trusted associate of the comedian and other well known people in Hollywood. TMZ reported that the two had known each other for roughly 15 years, and that Jonathan reportedly appeared in one of Hart’s movies and attended his bachelor party.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office says Jonathan has been charged with one count of attempted extortion and one count of extortion by threatening letter. In a press release, the District Attorney said Jonathan is accused of trying to extort an undisclosed amount of money from Hart between Aug. 25 and Aug. 30, 2017. Prosecutors allege he had a video of the actor with a woman in Las Vegas and tried to sell it to entertainment news websites.
If convicted, Jonathan faces a maximum sentence of four years. According to the reports, he is being held on $100,000 bail. A charge is an accusation, and he is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.
Hart responded to the news on social media, writing that he is “mind blown” and “hurt” and at a loss for words and in complete disbelief.
We will keep you posted as the case moves forward.
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