In a dramatic legal ruling that has captivated social media, a TikTok content creator has been ordered to pay $1.75 million (£1.33m) to a former friend for deliberately destroying her marriage.
The Lawsuit and The Verdict
Akira Montague from North Carolina successfully sued her ex-husband's new wife, content creator Brenay Montague, under an 'alienation of affection' lawsuit. This obscure law allows a spouse to sue a third party they believe is responsible for an affair that wrecked their marriage. Originating in England but abolished there in 1970, the law is still active in six American states.
Akira filed her claim in May 2024 with the Durham County Superior Court. On Monday 10 November, after the jury deliberated for nearly two hours, they ruled in her favour. The court ordered Brenay to pay $1.5 million (£1.18m) for 'alienation of affection' and an additional $250,000 (£196,000) for 'criminal conversation', a legal term meaning sexual relations with someone's spouse. Akira had initially sought $3.5 million in damages.
A Complicated Web of Relationships
The background to this case involves a complex and very public intertwining of relationships. Brenay, known online as @lifeofbrenay to her nearly three million TikTok followers, was originally married to a man named Devon Mayo in May 2021. Through this marriage, she became close with Devon's cousin, Timothy Montague, and his wife, Akira.
The four were frequently together, with their friendship documented on Brenay's social media channels. In December 2023, the situation intensified when Brenay moved in with Akira and Timothy. She continued creating content, now frequently featuring Timothy, and their flirty dynamic during livestreams did not go unnoticed by viewers.
The timeline of events then accelerated. In February 2024, Brenay announced her divorce from Devon. By March 2024, Timothy and Akira had officially separated. Timothy made his first official appearance on Brenay's social media as a couple by June of the same year.
Threats and Legal Fallout
The personal conflict escalated beyond the breakdown of the marriage. In May 2024, local police issued an arrest warrant for Brenay, who had allegedly threatened Akira. According to the warrant, she told her, "I will kill you, I will beat your [expletive]" and "I know where you stay."
Brenay eventually agreed to a deferment of prosecution in December 2024 in exchange for 12 months of unsupervised probation, completing anger-management classes, and having no contact with Akira. However, just days after this agreement, Akira filed the civil lawsuit that led to the multi-million dollar verdict.
In the aftermath, both Brenay and Timothy released statements condemning the outcome. Brenay said, "The truth will always be the truth and it's easy to believe the lies, especially when playing the victim card. [Akira] may have won the battle but not the war. God will have the final say."
Timothy called the verdict "absolutely outrageous," claiming Akira's legal team won by "pulling the sympathy card." He stated, "The marriage was NOT full of genuine love. All parties involved know that."
Contrasting these views, Akira's solicitor, Robonetta Jones, told People magazine: "This case was not about vengeance. It was about accountability. The evidence presented in this case overwhelmingly supported my client's stance that Brenay Kennard not only alienated the affections of Akira's husband but also inflicted emotional injury on his children as well."
