A TikTok Influencer Was Ordered to Pay $1.75 Million for Destroying a Marriage
The internet cycles through scandals constantly, but it is rare for one to end with a jury assigning a million-dollar cost to someone’s personal actions. In North Carolina, a civil case drew a well-known TikTok creator into a dispute that combined online attention with a marriage already showing strain. After months of progress through the courts, the jury reached a verdict that placed Brenay Kennard at the center of one of the state’s most widely discussed decisions this year.
How The Affair Turned Into A Lawsuit
@dailymail A TikTok influencer has been ordered to pay $1.75 million for allegedly destroying her manager’s marriage. Brenay Kennard allegedly seduced her manager, Tim Montague, while he was married to plaintiff Akria Montague. The three live in North Carolina, which is one of six states that allows a spouse to sue a third party for interfering in their marriage. Kennard was married to Tim Montague’s first cousin at the time of the alleged affair. #news #northcarolina #cheating #crime ♬ original sound – Daily Mail
Court filings describe a relationship between Brenay Kennard, who built an audience of nearly 3 million on TikTok, and her manager, Tim Montague. He was still married to his wife, Akira Montague, at the time. The couple married in 2018, and according to Akira, they had a stable home until she noticed signs pointing to Kennard.
The lawsuit outlines messages, videos, and encounters that Akira said proved the affair. Some incidents reportedly took place in the marital home. Others surfaced through Kennard’s own content, which Akira said included her husband and even her children without consent. She told the court the situation sent her into therapy and damaged her health, leading to unease that stretched across her home.
Kennard insisted Akira supported the relationship because she believed her marriage had already run its course. That claim did not convince the jury. After reviewing evidence and testimony, they decided Kennard carried liability for criminal conversation and alienation of affection.
A Rare Law With A Long History
Only a handful of states keep alienation of affection on the books. North Carolina is one of them. The law lets a spouse pursue civil damages against someone they believe interfered with their marriage. The state has seen several major cases over the years, including awards reaching into the tens of millions.
This latest ruling falls into that tradition. On November 10, the court ordered Kennard to pay Akira Montague 1.75 million dollars. The award covers emotional strain, harm to the marriage, and the impact on Akira’s home life during the breakup.
Social Media, Public Attention, And A Final Outcome
Image via iStockphoto/Olena Miroshnichenko
The affair unfolded during Kennard’s rise as a creator, which added more attention to a case that could have already drawn interest based on the law alone. Akira said she faced online harassment during the conflict, including threats from viewers. Tim Montague later left his marriage and moved into Kennard’s home in Greenville, North Carolina.
After the verdict, Kennard called the ruling outrageous and said she planned to keep fighting it. She also suggested the full truth had not come out yet. Akira’s side saw the jury’s decision as accountability for the breakdown of her home. North Carolina’s alienation laws rarely escape debate, but they continue to shape real cases, including this one.