Durham judge allows Brenay Kennard to delay a $1.75 million payout while she fights the ruling on appeal.
DURHAM, N.C. — Social media influencer Brenay Kennard just scored a temporary legal win… but don’t get it twisted — she’s still on the hook for MILLIONS.
A Durham County judge ruled Tuesday that Kennard can pause paying a massive $1.75 million judgment while she fights the case on appeal.
Kennard was hit with the jaw-dropping judgment in November 2025 after Akira Montague sued her for alienation of affection and criminal conversation — basically accusing her of wrecking her marriage by having an affair with her husband, Timothy Montague.
North Carolina is one of those rare states where you can legally sue your spouse’s side piece.
Montague won the case in 2024, claiming the affair destroyed her marriage, damaged her health, and broke up her family, leaving her children without a two-parent household.
Kennard officially appealed the ruling to the North Carolina Court of Appeals back on January 14 — and now, she’s been granted a “stay,” meaning she doesn’t have to cough up that $1.75 million just yet.
But there’s a catch…in order to hit pause on the payment, the judge ordered Kennard to put up a $40,000 bond — siding with Montague’s attorney, who pushed for the higher amount instead of the $10,000 Kennard’s lawyer requested.
“THIS LAWSUIT COST ME EVERYTHING”
Inside the courtroom, Kennard painted a picture of financial and reputational collapse.
She testified that 75% of her income comes from brand deals — but says the lawsuit has wrecked her bag, costing her partnerships with companies like Temu.
According to her bank records, she’s now making about $15,000 a month — half of what she used to pull in before the case went public.
Kennard also told the court she was even denied a job with Wake County Public Schools because of an active cyberstalking charge tied to the situation. She also revealed that she’s covering most of her household bills, pays an $800/month car note, supports a blended family with two stepchildren, and owes over $80,000 in back taxes.
At one point, she admitted her monthly expenses have reached as high as $23,000, blaming legal fees for the high bill.
SOCIAL MEDIA WARFARE
Kennard didn’t hold back, accusing Montague, her attorney, and a group of online critics dubbed “Boots on the Ground” of fueling a nonstop smear campaign.
With nearly 3 million TikTok followers and over 274,000 on Instagram, Kennard’s online presence — once her biggest asset — is now being used as evidence against her.
For now, Kennard gets a temporary financial breather — but the fight is far from over.
If the appeal fails, that $1.75 million judgment is back on the table.
