A federal jury in Idaho has awarded Rebecca Scofield, a university professor, $10 million in damages after TikTok psychic Ashley Gillard spent over three years falsely accusing her of orchestrating the m**ders of four University of Idaho students.
The verdict marks the largest defamation award ever issued to an individual in Idaho history, surpassing previous records by approximately tenfold.
The nightmare began for Scofield on November 22, 2022, when Gillard posted her first TikTok video claiming that Scofield had ordered the m**ders and was having an inappropriate relationship with one of the students. Despite having zero evidence to support these allegations, Gillard continued posting content about Scofield for the next three years and three months, creating over 112 additional videos on the topic.
During the damages hearing, Gillard chose to represent herself and called only one witness: herself. In a series of exchanges where she asked herself questions and provided her own answers, Gillard attempted to justify her actions by claiming her spiritual gifts gave her access to information others did not have.
She testified that she became a psychic after joining the military, serving in Iraq, and later pursuing what she called a “spiritual journey” that led her to study tarot cards, Buddhism, Hinduism, and numerology.
When pressed about her evidence, Gillard admitted she had none. She explained that she determined Scofield’s supposed involvement through tarot card readings, dreams, and what she described as spiritual intuition. As examples of her psychic abilities, she cited instances such as correctly predicting who would win on The Bachelorette and sensing she had a flat tire before her dashboard indicator confirmed it.
Even more troubling, Gillard acknowledged she only began attempting to gather actual evidence after she had already made dozens of public accusations. She submitted an FBI tip two weeks after her initial videos went viral and attempted to subpoena private records from Meta, AT&T, and various law enforcement agencies. All of her requests were denied, with authorities noting they were improperly filed and overly vague.
Throughout the trial, evidence showed the devastating impact of Gillard’s false statements on Scofield’s life. The professor testified about laying in her son’s bed at night, terrified that someone might break into their home. Her parents brought a g*n to the house for protection.
She began receiving threatening phone calls and emails from strangers, developed severe anxiety and headaches, and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by a licensed mental health professional.
Scofield’s family members described watching her transform from a strong, vibrant person who served as the glue holding the family together into someone barely recognizable. Her mother testified that she no longer has the same daughter. Her husband explained how their entire family’s protocols changed, and their sense of safety was completely destroyed.
Despite receiving two cease and desist letters, Gillard not only refused to stop but escalated her behavior. In response to the legal warnings, she posted a video telling Scofield and her legal team they could “kiss her a*s” and displayed the cease and desist letter as toilet paper. She created a 16-part series titled “Who is Rebecca Scofield?” and continued making accusations even after Bryan Kohberger was arrested and subsequently convicted of the murders.
During cross-examination, Gillard’s lack of remorse became apparent. When asked if she needed facts before accusing someone of quadruple ho**cide, she responded that she did not need facts because she was rendering a tarot card reading, which she believed constituted opinion rather than factual statements.
She maintained this position despite admitting she had never met Scofield, had no evidence of any inappropriate relationship, and had no proof connecting Scofield to the murders.
Evidence presented at trial also revealed Gillard’s lavish lifestyle during the defamation case. Social media posts showed her traveling to Europe and Asia, purchasing designer items from Chanel and Gucci, dining at exclusive locations, and living in Thailand where she paid over $2,000 per month in rent.
She admitted to earning between $20,000 and $30,000 annually from her business helping people with taxes and LLCs, plus approximately $40,000 to $50,000 yearly in disability payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In her closing argument, Gillard claimed she had posted only “30 minutes of content” about Scofield and that there was no evidence her videos had caused any harm. She argued that since Scofield’s employer testified her job was secure and she had even been promoted, no professional damages occurred. She further stated that any harm Scofield felt was “her own choice” and that she deserved only one dollar in nominal damages.
The jury disagreed. After deliberating, they awarded Scofield $1 million in compensatory damages for the false statements about an inappropriate romantic relationship with a student, plus $2.5 million in punitive damages for those statements. For the false accusations of orchestrating the murders, the jury awarded an additional $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, bringing the total to $10 million.
The verdict places this case on par with other high-profile defamation cases, matching the amount Johnny Depp was awarded in his case against Amber Heard before it was reduced due to state law caps. It far exceeds the $4 million awarded to Cardi B in her defamation case against Tasha K.
Legal experts note that collecting the full judgment may prove difficult given Gillard’s financial situation. Scofield’s legal team will likely pursue either a settlement agreement or begin the process of garnishing wages and seizing assets. Gillard’s VA disability payments, which she testified amount to approximately $4,500 monthly, may be subject to garnishment.
As of late August 2025, just months before the trial, Gillard was still posting content suggesting Scofield had connections to the m((ders. She showed no remorse during her testimony and offered no apology to Scofield or her family.
When asked directly if she still believed Scofield was involved, Gillard confirmed that she did, stating her spiritual intuition and tarot cards convinced her of this conclusion.
