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 is among the few states in the U.S. where individuals can pursue legal action through “alienation of affection” and “criminal conversation” lawsuits. “Alienation of affection” refers to a situation where a third party is accused of breaking up a marriage by engaging in an affair with one spouse. Meanwhile, “criminal conversation” is a legal term applied when someone is accused of having sexual relations with another person’s spouse.

Last year, Akira Montague initiated both of these legal proceedings against Brenay Kennard, a social media influencer with about 3 million followers on TikTok and approximately 275,000 on Instagram. Montague’s lawsuit alleges that Kennard was responsible for ending her marriage by having an affair with Montague’s husband while they were still married.

Akira Montague and Tim Montague tied the knot in 2018 and had two children together. The lawsuit describes their union as one filled with “genuine love and affection.” Tim Montague held a position as a sales manager working under Kennard. Akira Montague and Kennard were not only colleagues but also close confidants, sharing personal details about their marriages. Additionally, their husbands were cousins, and Kennard often stayed at the Montague residence, according to the legal documents.

The lawsuit further alleges that Kennard attempted to “seduce” Tim Montague by wearing “very short skirts” and engaging in suggestive behavior, such as bending over in his presence. According to Akira Montague, the first instance of infidelity occurred in December 2023, within their home.

“The defendant was seen twerking and shaking her bottom on the plaintiff’s husband in a bathroom located in the marital home,” the lawsuit claims.

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.

Eventually, Tim Montague “abandoned” the plaintiff and their children to go live with Kennard, the lawsuit says.

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.”