Kevin Hart has become a “man of few words” since his close friendship with Sean “Diddy” Combs came under scrutiny in the wake of the investigation into the disgraced music mogul’s alleged sex trafficking.
Combs, 54, is currently awaiting trial at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City on charges of sex trafficking, extortion and transportation into prostitution after being arrested last month .
Hart, 45, who has been friends with Combs for years, is now desperately trying to distance himself amid growing speculation about his history with the Founder of Bad Boy Records.
The situation is also proving difficult for employees at HartBeat, the multi-platform global media company he founded in 2009, as staff are aware of the resurfacing of video of Hart partying at one of Combs’ infamous parties.
“This is like a pink elephant in their company,” a source told DailyMail.com. “Everyone tries their best to pretend that nothing is happening.”
Kevin Hart has become a “man of few words” as his close friendship with Sean “Diddy” Combs has come under scrutiny amid the mogul’s sex trafficking trial (pictured in 2010).
Hart, 45, has been close friends with Combs, 54, and the two have partied together over the years (pictured in 2018).
‘Kevin is nervous and doesn’t say anything, so he’s been extremely tense.
“Kevin knows, as do his friends and employees, that he was close to Diddy and there is video footage of Kevin setting him up at one of his parties.”
Among the slew of now-questionable images currently circulating online is a clip purporting to show Hart and Combs partying together at the height of the music executive’s hedonistic heyday in 2010.
A post on X showed footage of the comedy star speaking into a microphone while surrounded by scantily clad women in what appears to be a candlelit bathroom during a party.
At one point Hart can be seen bursting into laughter after a woman’s hair catches fire while she is in the bathtub.
Explaining that Hart can’t laugh his way out of this situation, the source continued: ‘Kevin is used to creating jokes and now he’s the one affected the most.
“Their social networks are flooded with comments about Diddy and their friendship.”
The timing is not so fortunate as the star is currently on the road for his Acting My Age comedy tour.
Videos purportedly showing the comedian and Diddy partying together in 2010 (pictured) have recently resurfaced and gone viral on social media.
A source told DailyMail.com: ‘Kevin is nervous and isn’t saying anything so he’s been extremely tense’ (pictured at Roc Nation 2020 Brunch)
“Word is that he’s not sure how this tour will go because he knows people want to hear him talk about this and he won’t do it.
“Watching Kevin navigate this is difficult because he’s normally a man of many words and now he’s a man of few words.”
The Borderlands star was questioned about his ties to Combs while heading to dinner with his wife Eniko Hart, 40, at LAVO restaurant in West Hollywood last week.
Heading to the location, he checked DailyMail.com if he remembers seeing any of the now-infamous baby oil bottles found in Combs’ home when he had “hosted parties.”
The actor was quick to deny any involvement in the sordid parties, responding: ‘When I hosted Diddy? You are asking the wrong question to the wrong person.
When asked if Combs would be safe in jail, Hart again tried to deflect, repeating: “Wrong person, wrong question.”
A federal indictment alleges that since 2008 Combs had abused, threatened and coerced victims to satisfy his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.
Prosecutors also revealed that evidence had been gathered of his long-rumored drug-fueled sex parties, which he referred to as “freak offs,” during raids on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami. earlier this year. ‘Electronic devices containing images and videos of the phenomena, with multiple victims’ were found.
Also recovered in the raid were unmarked AR-15s, ammunition, and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and other lubricants.
The situation is also proving difficult for HartBeat employees, as staff are aware of the resurfaced video of Hart partying at one of Combs’ infamous parties (pictured in 2018).
The source noted: “There’s talk that he’s not sure how this tour will play out because he knows people want to hear him talk about this and he won’t.”
If convicted, Combs could face up to life in prison after being charged in connection with an apparent “criminal enterprise” through his business empire: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, drug crimes, transportation for prostitution , kidnapping and physical abuse. against women, among other crimes.
Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was allegedly trying to flee one of these events in 2016 when security cameras at a Los Angeles hotel captured Combs brutally attacking her in a hallway.
She filed a lawsuit against Combs in November 2023, which he settled in one day, serving as a catalyst for more people to come forward with abuse claims.
Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and was denied bail, despite his legal team’s request that he be released on $50 million and kept under electronic monitoring.