Brenay Kennard must pay a staggering $1.75 million after a Durham County jury ruled that the TikTok sensation ruined her manager’s marriage through an extramarital relationship.
The social media personality, who has nearly 3 million TikTok followers and 274,000 Instagram followers, now faces one of the most severe alienation sentences in North Carolina in recent years.
The legal battle centers on allegations that Kennard maintained an intimate relationship with her professional representative, Tim Montague, while he was still married to Akira Montague. The couple exchanged vows on October 20, 2018, setting the stage for what would become a costly legal battle.
Akira Montague filed a civil lawsuit in Durham County Superior Court in May 2024, painting a devastating picture of a destroyed marriage. The plaintiff argued that the incident caused her severe emotional trauma, damaged her physical health and deprived her children of an intact family structure.
The romantic entanglement allegedly unfolded at the Montague family home and on Kennard’s various social media platforms.
The jury’s decision divided the substantial financial penalties into two separate categories: $1.5 million for alienation of affection and $250,000 for criminal interrogation.
These charges represent North Carolina’s unique legal framework that allows a betrayed spouse to seek monetary damages from third parties who interfered with their marriage. Kennard strongly challenged the validity of the verdict, claiming the aggrieved wife had accepted the end of the marriage.
“She agreed,” Kennard told WRAL. “She said it didn’t matter because she knew her marriage was over and it was over.”
The influencer insists Akira Montague was fully aware of the deteriorating state of their relationship before any romance began.
The case joins a long list of costly alienation of affection convictions in North Carolina. Historical precedent includes Carol Puryear’s record-breaking $30 million award against Betty Devin in 2011, which involved trucking company owner Donald Puryear.
@willowedtears Brenay and Tim could care less I see lol smh #brenay #brenayandtim #brenaykennard #akiramontague #drama ♬ Original Soundtrack – ImJustTheMessenger
Most recently, former state Sen. Rick Gunn settled a similar lawsuit for $3 million in 2021 amid accusations of a long-running extramarital affair with his legislative aide. Robinetta Jones, who represented Akira Montague throughout the proceedings, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
“She has received justice for the loss of her husband and the father of her children,” Jones said, emphasizing the deep personal loss her client had suffered.
North Carolina remains one of only six states to retain these antiquated legal provisions, which trace their origins to the English common law tradition.
These statutes allow a jilted spouse to seek compensation from someone they believe ruined their marriage through romantic interference.
