TikTok 'detective' ordered to pay 10 million USD for 'solving' case with tarot cards

TikToker Ashley Guillard has been ordered by a court to pay compensation for falsely accusing a university professor of murder based solely on her 'spiritual intuition about the case'.

A federal jury has ordered TikTok influencer Ashley Guillard to pay 10 million USD in damages to Professor Rebecca Scofield, chair of the history department at the University of Idaho. The ruling on 27/2 came after Guillard made false statements accusing Scofield of murder, based on what she claimed was 'spiritual intuition'.

Guillard, known for posting theories about unsolved murder cases using Tarot card readings, targeted Professor Scofield in a series of videos in late 11/2022. These videos, shared with her more than 100,000 followers, accused Scofield of being responsible for the murders of four University of Idaho students that occurred on 13/11/2022.

The lawsuit, filed by Scofield in 12/2022, detailed how Guillard implied or directly stated that Scofield had a secret relationship with one of the victims and had 'ordered' the killings. These videos garnered millions of interactions. However, Scofield's complaint noted she had never met the victims and was out of state when the murders occurred.

Despite Scofield sending multiple cease and desist letters, Guillard continued to post videos, claiming Scofield orchestrated the murders after the student threatened to expose their alleged relationship. Even after the Moscow Police Department issued a press release in 12/2022 stating Scofield was not a suspect, Guillard's false accusations persisted. Following the lawsuit, Guillard defiantly posted a video stating, "I will not stop," and questioned why Scofield, if innocent, needed three lawyers to sue her.

Scofield's legal team argued that the defamatory accusations portrayed the professor as a criminal and could ruin her career. During the court session on 6/6/2024, the judge sided with Scofield, ruling that Guillard's statements were defamatory and lacked any objective basis, relying solely on her 'personal spiritual intuition about the murders'.

The jury's verdict specifically ordered Guillard to pay Scofield 6,5 million USD for damages related to the accusations concerning the University of Idaho murders and 3,5 million USD for false statements about an inappropriate relationship with a student, totaling 10 million USD.

After the ruling, Scofield commented, "The 10 million USD verdict sends a clear message that false statements online will have real-world consequences for real people and are unacceptable in our community."

In a series of 21 TikTok videos posted on 2 and 3/3, Guillard expressed her opposition to the jury's verdict, calling it "unfair and ridiculous," and indicated she might appeal. Meanwhile, Bryan Kohberger, a criminology student at Washington State University, was later arrested and pleaded guilty to killing the four students in 7/2025, receiving four life sentences.