Hart gal: I’m the victim
THE MODEL at the center of Kevin Hart’s video scandal said Wednesday she’s no extortionist.
“I was involved with Kevin Hart a month ago. Since then, my pictures and my name have been released with lies written about me,” Montia Sabbag, 26, said at a press conference with her lawyer Lisa Bloom.
“I’m not an extortionist. I’m not a stripper. I’m a recording artist and an actress, and I have not broken any laws,” she said.
“I had nothing to do with these recordings,” Sabbag vowed. “I hired Lisa Bloom solely to protect my legal rights. I am truly sorry for any involvement I had in this.”
Bloom acknowledged Sabbag and Hart had an “intimate relationship,” but described her client as a “crime victim.”
She said someone “apparently” sneaked cameras into Hart’s private hotel suite in Las Vegas and recorded “bedroom images” of her client with the comedian.
“Montia is the victim of multiple felonies under state and federal laws,” she said, referring to the secret recording and release of the private images.
Bloom — the lawyer representing Blac Chyna and actress Mischa Barton in their domestic violence restraining order cases — said Sabbag plans to go to authorities, report what she knows and urge a thorough probe.
“Although it’s been reported that law enforcement is investigating, we have no evidence of that. Montia has not been contacted,” Bloom said. “Therefore, we are announcing today that we will be going to the authorities immediately to report this matter.”
Bloom said her client had “no idea” who made the recording leaked to TMZ.com.
“Montia and I are not asking for a cent from Kevin Hart. This is not about money. We are not suing him. We are not making any false claims against him. Any reports to the contrary are false,” Bloom said.
Sabbag was identified Tuesday as the woman seen partying with Hart in grainy images and video still shots published by TMZ.
The website reported Sabbag and Hart spent a “wild weekend” together in Las Vegas last month and that the FBI was investigating a multi-million extortion attempt against the “Jumanji” actor related to a nearly fiveminute video.
Hart, 38, confessed to a “bad error of judgment” in an emotional Instagram post Saturday night.
The actor said someone targeted him for “financial gain” and that he’d rather “fess up” to his mistakes than pay.
He appeared to admit to cheating on his pregnant wife, Eniko Parrish.
“It’s a s----y moment where you know you’re wrong. There’s no excuses for your behavior,” Hart said.
Hart is now one of the highest-paid comedians in Hollywood with a reported net worth of $120 million after roles in “The Secret Life of Pets” and “Ride Along 2.”
Between June 2015 and June 2016, he earned an eye-watering $87.5 million, landing him in sixth place on Forbes’ richest-celebrities list.