Brenay Kennard must fork over a staggering $1.75 million after a Durham County jury determined the TikTok sensation wrecked her manager’s marriage through an extramarital relationship.
The social media personality, who commands nearly 3 million TikTok followers and 274,000 Instagram devotees, now confronts one of North Carolina’s most substantial alienation of affection verdicts in recent memory.
The legal battle centered on accusations that Kennard had engaged in an intimate relationship with Tim Montague, her professional representative, while he was still married to Akira Montague. The couple had exchanged vows on October 20, 2018, laying the groundwork for what would become a costly legal confrontation.
Akira Montague’s civil complaint, filed in May 2024 with Durham County Superior Court, painted a devastating picture of marital destruction. The plaintiff argued that the affair inflicted severe emotional trauma, compromised her physical well-being, and robbed her children of an intact family structure.
The romantic entanglement allegedly unfolded both within the Montague family residence and across Kennard’s various social media platforms.
The jury’s decision split the massive financial penalty into two distinct categories: $1.5 million for alienation of affection and $250,000 for criminal conversation.
These charges represent North Carolina’s unique legal framework that permits betrayed spouses to pursue monetary damages against third parties who interfere with their marriages. Kennard vehemently disputed the verdict’s validity, claiming the wronged wife had already accepted her marriage’s demise.
“She gave her consent,” Kennard told WRAL. “She said it was okay because she knew her marriage was over with, and it was done.”
The influencer maintained that Akira Montague was fully aware of the relationship’s deteriorating state before any romantic involvement commenced.
The case joins North Carolina’s lengthy roster of expensive alienation of affection judgments. Historical precedents include Carol Puryear’s record-breaking $30 million award in 2011 against Betty Devin, involving Donald Puryear, a trucking company owner.
@willowedtears Brenay and Tim could care less I see lol smh #brenay #brenayandtim #brenaykennard #akiramontague #drama ♬ original sound – ImJustTheMessenger
More recently, former state Senator Rick Gunn settled a similar lawsuit for $3 million in 2021 after being accused of maintaining a prolonged affair with his legislative assistant. Robonetta Jones, who represented Akira Montague throughout the proceedings, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
“She has received justice from losing her husband and the father of her children,” Jones stated, emphasizing the profound personal losses her client endured.
North Carolina remains among only six states maintaining these antiquated legal provisions, which trace their origins to English common law traditions.
The statutes allow jilted spouses to seek compensation from individuals they believe destroyed their marriages through romantic interference.
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