A behind-the-scenes dispute at Kevin Hart’s media company has spilled into court. The legal battle centers on claims that two former employees used confidential business information to build a competing podcast venture while still on the company payroll.
The case involves Hartbeat, the entertainment company founded by the comedian, and former staffers Eric Eddings and Lesley Swam. Both sides have offered sharply different versions of what happened. This sets the stage for a fight over trade secrets, business plans, and the future of a podcast startup that has yet to launch.
Kevin’s ex-employees Eric Eddings and Lesley Gwam are in court after accusations of using confidential info to develop a competing podcast
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Hartbeat filed suit against Eddings and Gwam in February. The company alleged the pair had access to sensitive information tied to its audio and podcast division. This includes financial data, partnership strategies, and long-term business plans.
Hartbeat claimed the former employees used that information to help create a competing podcast company while they were still employed. The lawsuit also alleged they circulated an investor pitch deck seeking $2 million in funding for the proposed venture.
The company pointed to a statement in the presentation that allegedly read, “We’ve built this before. Now we’re building it for ourselves.”
Hartbeat further claimed that one of its major podcast clients declined to renew a contract because of Eddings’ alleged management decisions. The company said the fallout contributed to declining revenue within the audio division and eventually led to layoffs.
According to the lawsuit, Eddings and Gwam were terminated on Jan. 30, 2026. This was just one day after Hartbeat learned about the pitch deck. A cease-and-desist letter followed before the company sought an injunction preventing the pair from using or sharing what it described as proprietary information.
The former employees have pushed back against those claims. In their own court filings, Eddings and Gwam argued there is no evidence they misappropriated confidential material. They have further described Hartbeat’s request for an injunction as an attempt to block them from pursuing future work.
They maintained that the pitch deck relied on general industry knowledge rather than company secrets. Eddings also noted his previous experience at SiriusXM, while Gwam pointed to her background in the industry before joining Hartbeat.
The pair acknowledged working on ideas for a new business while employed, but said they never launched the company or sought investors before leaving. They also argued that the lawsuit has made it more difficult to pursue potential funding opportunities.
Originally reported by Vanshika Vasundhare Singh on Mandatory.com.
