A North Carolina court has reportedly ordered TikTok influencer Brenay Kennard to pay $1.75 million after being accused of causing her manager’s marriage to collapse under the state’s rarely used alienation of affection law. Kennard, who has nearly 3 million followers, allegedly engaged in an affair with her manager, Tim Montague, according to a lawsuit filed by his ex-wife, Akira Montague, in Durham.
Akira initially sought $3.5 million in damages in 2024, claiming the affair caused emotional pain, harmed her health, and deprived her children of a two-parent home. The law requires proof that the marriage was loving, the third party knew of it, and the relationship continued despite the affair. North Carolina is one of six states still allowing spouses to sue third parties for interfering in their marriage.
Akira’s attorney, Robonetta Jones, argued that Kennard publicly flaunted the affair, humiliating her client. Kennard denied the allegations, claiming Akira knew the marriage was effectively over and had consented. Tim Montague eventually left his wife for Kennard.
During the six-day trial, Jones presented over 700 pages of evidence, including photos and texts showing the two couples socializing together. A motion by Kennard to dismiss the case was rejected. The jury awarded Akira $1.5 million for alienation of affection and $250,000 for criminal conversation, marking one of the largest settlements of its kind in the state.
Previous high-profile cases in North Carolina include a $30 million award in 2011 to Carol Puryear and a $3 million settlement in 2021 involving former state senator Rick Gunn. Jones highlighted the ruling as a warning that interfering in another person’s marriage carries legal consequences. Kennard has not commented publicly.
