A jury in North Carolina has awarded a woman $1.75 million after she said a popular TikTok influencer stole her husband in a wild trial in which she questioned her accuser on the stand and the man in question was arrested after he allegedly brought a gun to court.

North Carolina stands out as one of the few states where individuals can pursue legal action under the claims of “alienation of affection” and “criminal conversation.” These terms refer to a situation where a third party disrupts a marriage by engaging in an affair with one of the spouses, with “criminal conversation” specifically addressing sexual relations with someone else’s partner.

In a notable case from last year, Akira Montague initiated both these legal actions against Brenay Kennard, who boasts around 3 million followers on TikTok and approximately 275,000 on Instagram. Montague’s lawsuit contends that Kennard damaged her marriage by having an affair with her husband while they were still married.

Akira and Tim Montague tied the knot in 2018 and had two children, enjoying what the lawsuit describes as a “happy and loving marriage” filled with “genuine love and affection.” Tim Montague was employed as a sales manager for Kennard. The two women, who were close friends, often shared personal insights about their marriages. Their husbands were cousins, and Kennard frequently stayed at the Montague residence, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that Kennard began attempting to “seduce” Tim Montague by donning “very short skirts” and “bending over” provocatively in his presence. Akira Montague claims that Kennard and her husband first engaged in sexual activity in their home in December 2023.

The lawsuit further asserts, “Defendant was seen twerking and shaking her bottom on Plaintiff’s Husband in the bathroom located in the marital home.”

The two began to have a “flirtatious” relationship that they would “flaunt” on social media, where Kennard is a lifestyle content creator, according to the lawsuit. They also would talk about how much they enjoyed having sex with one another — and even had intercourse when Akira Montague was at the home sleeping, per the suit.

According to the lawsuit, Tim Montague eventually “abandoned” his wife and children to live with Kennard.

This all led to a dramatic trial in which Kennard represented herself and confronted her accuser when she was on the stand. Nothing, it seemed, was out of bounds — even Kennard asking about Akira Montague’s miscarriage.

“That must’ve been painful for you, right?” Kennard asked, according to a courtroom report from the Raleigh News & Observer.

Those in the gallery, many of whom were social media influencers documenting the case, reportedly gasped.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect you to know since you don’t have children,” Akira Montague retorted.

At one point, the judge reportedly had to remove the jury to scold the two for “editorializing” and told them to stick with the facts of the case.

Akira Montague said that Kennard staying at the house made her so uncomfortable that she quit school, and Kennard suggested that Akira Montague wrongly blamed the defendant for all her problems.

“I take accountability for allowing an intruder into my home,” Akira Montague said.

The plaintiff described the impact the situation had on her family.

“My children aren’t the same,” she reportedly testified through tears.

But in her closing arguments, Kennard dismissed the lawsuit as nothing but a money grab.

“This was a marriage that had been falling apart for years,” she said, per the News & Observer.

While this was a civil case, all the parties in the case have been accused of committing crimes. Timothy Montague was arrested for bringing a gun to the courthouse on Nov. 5, according to records. Akira Montague was found guilty of criminal contempt for “violating a prior custody” order. Kennard was charged with cyberstalking.

After jurors deliberated for nearly two hours, they ruled in favor of the plaintiff — much to the delight of her supporters, who reportedly chanted “Team A-kira.”