Kevin Hart, renowned comedian and actor, has initiated legal proceedings against YouTuber Tasha K and his former personal assistant, Miesha Shakes, alleging extortion and defamation in connection with a controversial interview.

The lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, revolves around an online interview conducted by Tasha K, featuring Shakes, who was employed by Hart's company from August 2017 to October 2020.

The interview, published on Kebe's Instagram account and YouTube channel Unwine with Tasha K on Dec. 22, includes serious allegations made by Shakes, claiming that Hart engaged in an affair at his office. She further asserted that she informed Hart's wife, Eniko, about his alleged infidelity and accused the comedian of having a gambling problem.

The preview of the interview, captioned "The interview that Kevin Hart will WISH NEVER CAME OUT!!," hinted at explosive revelations that could potentially damage Hart's reputation.

Hart's legal complaint alleges that Tasha K demanded money, threatening to release the interview unless a ransom of $250,000 was paid. According to the document, an individual affiliated with Tasha K contacted Hart's representative in November, asserting that the interview would be damaging to Hart's reputation and would be made public unless the ransom was paid.

Taking swift action, Hart contacted the police and issued a cease and desist order to Tasha K, citing the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between Shakes and Hart. The lawsuit claims that releasing the interview would constitute intentional interference with contractual relations.

In addition to the NDA violation, Hart's complaint states that the interview contained "false and defamatory statements" about Hart and misrepresented certain legal disputes he was involved in. Shakes is accused of making false statements, including the claim that Hart recorded a video of a sexual encounter and faced criminal charges related to the supposed incident.

Hart is suing all defendants for civil extortion and invasion of privacy (public disclosure of private facts). Furthermore, he is suing Shakes for breach of contract and defamation, and Tasha K for intentional interference with contractual relations.

The lawsuit notes that Tasha K has a history of posting defamatory content about celebrities, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

In response to PEOPLE's request for comment, Tasha K directed individuals to watch the full interview on her website, TashaKLive.com, while Shakes could not be reached for comment.

It is worth noting that Tasha K has faced criticism in the past for airing allegations against other celebrities, including Will Smith and Duane Martin, which were publicly denied. In 2022, musician Cardi B won a libel case against Tasha K for making "malicious" claims against her.

Hart, who shares children with ex-wife Torrei Hart and current wife Eniko Hart, has been candid about his past infidelity. In his Netflix documentary series Don’t F**k It Up, he shared the challenges of rebuilding his marriage with Eniko after a cheating scandal, describing it as "the lowest moment of my life."