Homewrecker influencer Brenay Kennard sued under North Carolina’s ‘Jolene’ law

Jolene’s comeuppance.

A homewrecker TikTok influencer has been reportedly ordered to pay $1.75 million for allegedly destroying her manager’s marriage under an unusual state law designed to crack down on cheating ways, according to North Carolina court records.

Brenay Kennard, who has nearly 3 million TikTok followers, allegedly seduced her manager, Tim Montague, according to a lawsuit filed in a Durham, NC court by the loverboy’s jilted ex-wife, Akria, according to WTVD.

The angry Mrs. Montague had originally sought $3.5 million in damages from Kennard when she first filed a civil lawsuit in 2024 under North Carolina’s alienation of affection law.

Under the law employed by the angry Mrs. Montague — which reads like lyrics from Dolly Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene” — the plaintiff must prove they are in a loving marriage, the third party had knowledge of the marriage, and the marriage continued while the affair is going on.

North Carolina is one of only six states that still allows a spouse to sue a third party for interfering in their marriage, under a practice that originated in English common law.

“When you are thinking about alienation of affection, you have to think about the humiliation that the spouse went through,” Ms Montague’s attorney, Robonetta Jones, told WTVD.

“Ms Kennard flaunted her relationship with a married man. And of course, it went viral and my client was humiliated as a result of that,” she continued.

Akira Montague successfully claimed the affair had caused her mental anguish, damaged her health, and deprived her children of a two-parent household, WRAL reported.

There was cheering in the public gallery as the settlement was agreed, with Ms Montague sharing a hug with her attorney as Kennard quickly left the court.

Kennard denied all of the allegations against her in court, claiming that Ms Montague knew the marriage was over and had allowed the affair.

“She gave her consent. She said it was okay because she knew her marriage was over with, and it was done,” Kennard told the jury, as reported by WRAL.

Mr Montague eventually left his wife for Kennard.

Jones presented more than 700 pages of evidence throughout the six-day trial, which concluded on Monday with the awarding of damages to Ms Montague.

Kennard was married to Mr Montague’s first cousin at the time of the alleged affair.

She posted a number of pictures and videos to social media showing the two couples hanging out.

“They were able to take trips together, spend time together, and still make sure they held themselves out to be husband and wife,” Jones said, adding that text messages from Kennard had “helped a lot as well.”

Kennard filed an unsuccessful motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that photos and videos presented in court were obtaine unlawfully.

But Ms Montague was awarded $1.5 million for alienation of affection and $250,000 for criminal conversation by a Durham County jury, the third-largest settlement in such a case in North Carolina history.

In 2011, Betty Devin was ordered to pay $30 million to Carol Puryear, for having an affair with Donald Puryear, owner of a Raleigh trucking company.

In 2021, former state Sen. Rick Gunn settled a lawsuit filed by Arthur Johns for $3 million, after he was accused of having a long-running affair with John’s wife.

In 2018, NFL star Fletcher Cox was sued by one Joshua Jeffords, who claimed the ex-Philadelphia Eagle had an affair with his wife.

“I believe the message is that there are consequences for interfering with another person’s marriage,” Jones said.

“People have to know that if you interfere and you sleep with someone who’s married, there are consequences in the state of North Carolina and maybe they will think twice before they do it,” she continued.

Kennard did not respond immediately to requests for comment.