A jury in Durham County, North Carolina, ordered TikTok influencer Brenay Kennard to pay Akira Montague $1.75 million. In a verdict delivered November 10, 2025, Kennard was found liable for two rare civil claims alienation of affection and criminal conversation. These stemmed from Kennard’s affair with Tim Montague, who is Akira Montague’s husband and Kennard’s manager at the time.
The award breaks down to $1.5 million for alienation of affection and $250,000 for criminal conversation. North Carolina stands out as one of the few states where such lawsuits remain legal.
TikTok influencer ordered to pay $1.75 million for alienating a husband's affection. A court found her liable for intentionally interfering with a marriage, setting a major legal precedent.#TikTok #Lawsuit #Influencer #Trending
— HypeFresh.com (@HypefreshC) November 14, 2025
🔗 Tap to see more – https://t.co/HhFjTsgdNA pic.twitter.com/JRGbnmdGdm
Brenay Kennard built a following of nearly 3 million on TikTok through lifestyle, beauty, shopping, makeup, cooking, and home content. She also has around 274,000 followers on Instagram. Tim Montague served as her manager. He was married to Akira Montague, and the couple shared children.
Court filings show Kennard and Akira were once friends. Kennard is also reportedly married to Tim Montague’s first cousin, tying the families closer before the affair.
Akira Montague filed the suit in May 2024, seeking $3.5 million in total damages. She claimed the relationship destroyed a 20-year marriage.
Alienation of affection lets a spouse sue a third party for intentionally disrupting marital love and companionship. To win, the plaintiff must prove a genuine marriage existed, the defendant knew about it, and their actions caused the loss of affection.
Criminal conversation is simpler it only requires proof of sexual relations with a married person. No need to show the marriage ended.
These “heart balm” torts trace back to old common law. Most states abolished them decades ago as outdated. North Carolina keeps them, joining fewer than 10 others like Hawaii, Mississippi, and Utah. About 200 to 250 alienation cases file yearly in the state, but trials are rare, and big awards rarer still.
The affair began while Tim Montague managed Kennard. Akira Montague discovered it and filed suit in Durham County Superior Court in May 2024.
The six-day trial wrapped in November 2025. Jurors reviewed over 700 pages of evidence, including text messages, financial records, and social media posts. Tim Montague testified the marriage was already over Akira disputed this.
On November 10, the jury ruled for Akira on both counts. The $1.75 million total ranks as the third-highest for these claims in North Carolina history, per local reports.
Kennard posted content showing close interactions with Tim Montague. Some clips included dancing in kitchens or outdoor settings, with overlays like
“the world mad at us” and “US:”.
Others featured wedding photos or family moments.
Akira’s team argued these posts flaunted the affair publicly. They also claimed Kennard used details from her friendship with Akira to pursue Tim.
A viral montage video spread online after the verdict. It split the screen left side showed news headlines like
“WOMAN SUCCESSFULLY SUES TIKTOK STAR FOR AFFAIR THAT ENDED MARRIAGE”
From NBC and ABC broadcasts. Right side replayed the affectionate TikTok clips. The 64-second video highlighted the contrast between legal fallout and online displays.
Akira Montague testified to severe mental anguish and health problems from the betrayal. She said the breakup deprived her children of a stable two-parent home.
Her attorney, Robonetta Jones, spoke after the verdict:
“She has received justice from losing her husband and the father of her children.”
Jones also stressed the public humiliation the affair played out for Kennard’s millions of followers, worsening the pain.
Kennard represented herself at trial. Reports say she called Akira “just bitter” for losing her husband. Kennard has acknowledged the verdict in media statements but showed no public remorse, per coverage.
Sources cross-checked with court reports, statutes, and outlets like People, and USA Today. No evidence supports unverified rumors of immediate appeals as of November 14, 2025.
These laws spark argument. Supporters see them as protecting marriage from deliberate sabotage. Critics call them relics that punish consensual acts and ignore the cheating spouse’s role.
The award’s size tied to a public figure drew eyes. Social media evidence sets a precedent: posts can prove “flaunting” and boost damages for humiliation.
North Carolina filings hover at 200-250 yearly, but most settle quietly. This one went to trial amid viral scrutiny, renewing calls to scrap the torts.
The verdict underscores North Carolina’s firm stance on marital integrity. It also shows how influencers’ online lives can become courtroom exhibits. For families, the harm lingers beyond dollars lost trust, public shame, fractured homes.
