Professor Awarded $10 Million in Defamation Case Against TikTok Tarot Reader

A University of Idaho professor has been awarded $10 million in a defamation lawsuit against a TikTok tarot card reader who falsely accused her of committing the murders of four students. Dr. Rebecca Scofield, 41, filed suit against Ashley Guillard, a Texas-based online true crime personality, after Guillard posted videos in November 2022 accusing Scofield of the killings.

Guillard's initial video, posted just 11 days after the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, claimed Scofield had ordered the killings to conceal an inappropriate romantic relationship with Goncalves. Scofield, who was the chair of the university's Department of History, stated she did not know the victims and was shocked by the accusations.

The online accusations led to weeks of distress for Scofield, who received disturbing and threatening messages. The professor reported being unable to sleep and felt isolated, withdrawing her course online, ceasing social media use, and avoiding the university campus. "I was overwhelmed with calls, messages, comments and emails, many of which were disturbing or threatening," Scofield wrote in an opinion piece for The New York Times. "I stopped sleeping well, and instead, I walked the hallway outside my children's rooms, utterly terrified that they would be harmed by the person hyper fixated on me, any of her believers or the person actually responsible for the murders."

The real perpetrator, Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student, was arrested in December 2022. Kohberger has since pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to life in prison.

Following Kohberger's arrest, Scofield's legal team sent cease-and-desist letters to Guillard. In December 2022, Scofield filed a defamation suit. A judge found Guillard liable for defamation in June, with proceedings in March to determine punitive damages. During the trial, Guillard, representing herself, maintained her belief in Scofield's involvement and accused jurors of bias. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before unanimously awarding Scofield $10 million.

Of the total award, $7.5 million is designated as punitive damages, intended to punish Guillard and deter similar conduct, while the remainder covers compensatory damages. Scofield had initially sought $1.8 million.

"I want to thank the jury for their time and attention to this case," Scofield said in a statement. "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."

Scofield urged social media users to consider the impact of unverified information online. "Ask yourself if the platforms that profit from enabling the spread of unverified information should continue to remain insulated from accountability," she wrote. "And remember that what seems like harmless entertainment could shape not only individual lives, but the course of history."