TikTok ‘psychic’ learns the hard way, hit with $10M court order for false claims in the Idaho 4 case

A Boise, Idaho, jury has ordered Texas-based social media creator Ashley Guillard to pay $10 million to University of Idaho history professor Rebecca Scofield for repeatedly spreading false and harmful allegations about Scofield’s involvement in the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students.

Guillard posted several videos on TikTok beginning in November 2022, shortly after four students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death in an off‑campus home in Moscow, Idaho.

In her posts, Guillard alleged, without evidence, that Scofield had both orchestrated the killings and engaged in a romantic relationship with one of the victims, claims the jury found defamatory.

Who is Rebecca Scofield?

Scofield, who chairs the University of Idaho’s history department, filed a defamation lawsuit against Guillard in December 2022 after the accusations began circulating widely online. Court records and reporting indicate that Scofield had never met the victims and was out of state at the time of the murders, and that local police publicly stated she was not a suspect. Even so, Guillard continued to post her claims even after receiving cease‑and‑desist letters.

In June 2024, a federal judge granted partial summary judgment in the case, ruling that the statements were legally defamatory because Guillard offered no evidence to support her claims and relied instead on personal belief and speculative sources.

The $10 million to Scofield includes punitive damages intended to punish Guillard and deter similar conduct, as well as compensatory damages for reputational and emotional harm. During the trial, Scofield testified about the personal toll the online accusations took on her life and career. Attorneys for Scofield argued that the false statements had long‑lasting effects on her reputation and personal well‑being.

No protection for opinion of “spiritual intuition”

Defamation law can apply even when claims are presented as opinion or based on unconventional sources — such as tarot readings or “spiritual intuition” — if those statements are presented as fact and cause real harm.

Guillard, who represented herself at trial, opposes the verdict and suggests she may seek to appeal, although formal plans for an appeal have not been detailed in court filings.

The underlying criminal case involving the November 2022 murders drew international attention. A Washington State University criminology doctoral student, Bryan Kohberger, later pleaded guilty to the killings and received four consecutive life sentences. That resolution removed any factual basis for Guillard’s allegations about Scofield, which were unfounded and contradicted by law enforcement conclusions.

After the jury reached its verdict, Scofield said in a statement that the $10-million verdict “reinforces the judge’s decision and sends the clear message that false statements online have consequences in the real world for real people and are unacceptable in our community,” per Idaho news outlet KIVI.

Scofield added, “The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, was the darkest chapter in our university’s history. Today’s decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. I am hopeful that this difficult chapter in my life is over and I can return to a more normal life with my family and the wonderful Moscow community.”