The FBI are now involved in Kevin Hart’s extortion case and may already have a suspect, TMZ reports.
The comedian was caught up in an extortion attempt after an unidentified person tried to gain money for a” sexually suggestive” video that involved Hart. According to TMZ, the FBI know the identity of the woman in the video, but it is not clear if she is the one trying to extort up to eight figures from Hart.
“Someone tried to set Kevin up in a failed extortion attempt,” a rep for Hart told PEOPLE in a statement. “As law enforcement is involved, we cannot comment further as it could affect the investigation.”
In the video, which TMZ has viewed, there is a bedroom scene where two people can be heard, but not seen, having sex. A later shot shows a naked man, who looks like Hart, walking into the room.
In response, Hart posted an emotional video on his Instagram on Saturday night, apologizing to his pregnant wife Eniko and his kids
“…I made a bad error in judgement and I put myself in a bad environment where only bad things can happen and they did,” he said. “And in doing that I know that I’m going to hurt the people closest to me, who’ve I talked to and apologized to, that would be my wife and my kids.”
The extortionist apparently admitted to TMZ that the endgame was to gain money for the “highly produced” almost-five-minute video, which was secretly shot on a cellphone. The culprit also claimed that Hart’s Hurricane Harvey relief efforts were part of a damage-control tactic.
“The real reason Kevin Hart orchestrated the Texas Hurricane Relief Fund, this so-called good deed was done to get ahead as he knew this damaging footage was one click away from being exposed as the liar and cheater he is,” the culprit told TMZ. “Kevin Hart was privy to me wanting to expose him as I have made countless attempts to expose this information to various blogs, in an attempt to also get paid.”
Hart’s reps have denied these claims.
