An influencer is being forced to pay $1.75 million by a North Carolina court thanks to an unusual state law. She allegedly had an affair with her manager, resulting in the destruction of his marriage.
Videos by Suggest
Now, she’s being forced to fit the bill due to her alleged transgression. North Carolina has a state law that penalizes the “other woman” or partner in an affair.
According to WTVD, influencer Brenay Kennard allegedly started a relationship with her manager, Tim Montague. His ex-wife, Akira, took the influencer to civil court seeking $3.5 million in damages.
It’s thanks to North Carolina’s alienation of affection law. According to the law, the plaintiff must establish that they were in a loving relationship ruined by an affair and that the third party was aware they were married during the affair. North Carolina is one of six states in the country with a law like this.
Influencer Loses Case
“When you are thinking about alienation of affection, you have to think about the humiliation that the spouse went through,” Akira 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.”
While the influencer denied the allegations, the court sided with Akira on the matter. They found the alleged affair damaged the family. The influencer painted a different story though.
“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.
To make matters worse, Kennard was married to Montague’s first cousin at the time of the alleged affair. The two couples regularly hung out together.
“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.
The courts awarded Akira $1.5 million.
“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.