Social media is in a frenzy after reports emerged that a court has ordered a popular TikToker to pay a staggering Sh226 million for allegedly “stealing” another woman’s husband.
Nairobi News has learnt that a North Carolina jury recently directed TikTok influencer Brenay Kennard to compensate her manager’s ex-wife, Akira Montague, after finding her guilty of contributing to the collapse of the couple’s marriage.
Kennard, who boasts over 2.9 million followers on TikTok, was sued under North Carolina’s alienation of affection law, which allows a spouse to sue a third party accused of causing the breakdown of a marriage.
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In her lawsuit, Montague claimed that Kennard befriended her and later used personal information gained from that friendship to pursue her husband.
Alienation of affection laws, as defined by Cornell Law School, permit an aggrieved spouse to seek damages from anyone proven to have caused their partner to cheat or end the marriage.
Court documents show that Tim Montague, Akira’s husband, served as Kennard’s manager, and that Kennard was previously married to his cousin.
Montague accused Kennard of engaging “in behavior designed to seduce” her husband, including wearing revealing outfits, flirting with him, and “flicking her tongue to expose her tongue rings in a flirtatious manner.”
Akira told the court she had confided in Kennard about private marital issues, believing they were friends.
She claimed the TikToker later “used the personal information gained from the friendship to seduce” her husband.
According to NBC News, Akira discovered the affair in January 2024 after seeing a video showing Kennard and her husband together in their home.
The lawsuit revealed that Kennard and Tim exchanged “numerous sexual videos and text messages” and frequently met at the Montagues’ marital home.
Kennard was also accused of planning and taking trips with Tim, posting videos professing her love for him, and declaring her wish to marry him and have “four to five children” together.
Akira stated that her husband became emotionally distant as a “direct result” of Kennard’s actions.
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The suit also alleged that he began hiding financial transactions and expenses related to his relationship with Kennard.
“The Defendant has intentionally, wrongfully, and unjustifiably interfered with the relationship between the Plaintiff and her husband,” the complaint read.
Montague’s lawyers described Kennard’s conduct as “malicious, unlawful, willful, and wanton.”
Following a jury verdict delivered on Monday, November 10, Kennard was found liable for both criminal conversation and alienation of affection.
The jury awarded Sh32.3 million in damages for criminal conversation and Sh193.8 million for alienation of affection, totaling Sh226 million.
Kennard has since criticised the jury’s ruling, claiming that Akira consented to the affair, an allegation Akira firmly denied in her lawsuit.
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