Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix. Bravo (3)
Multiple yr after Scandoval, Us Weekly remains to be your go-to supply for the most recent on Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix and Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
After courting for practically a decade, Ariana and Sandoval broke up in March 2023 when she found that he had a months-long affair with Rachel. The smoking gun that led to the cut up was an intimate video of Rachel that Ariana discovered on Sandoval’s cellphone.
Whereas Sandoval and Ariana returned to VPR, Rachel left the present and launched her “Rachel Goes Rogue” podcast. Someday earlier than the primary anniversary of Scandoval, Rachel filed a lawsuit in opposition to Sandoval and Ariana for revenge porn, eavesdropping and invasion of privateness.
In response to paperwork obtained by Us Weekly in March 2024, Rachel referenced the express video Sandoval allegedly recorded “illegally” with out her data or consent. She additionally accused Bravo and the Evolution manufacturing firm of deceptive her into pondering she couldn’t communicate out about her mistreatment.
“Because of this, she suffered in silence as Bravo and Evolution watched viewership explode, and the remainder of the forged loved unseen ranges of public recognition {and professional} alternative,” the paperwork famous. “In the meantime, Leviss, who was humiliated and villainized for public consumption, stays a shell of her former self, together with her profession prospects stunted and her fame in tatters.”
Updates within the case included Sandoval attempting to dismiss the swimsuit whereas Ariana filed her personal countersuit. The twist, nevertheless, got here in July 2024 when Sandoval sued Ariana on the grounds that she “obtained entry” to his cellphone and reviewed movies of him and Rachel with out his “authorization or permission.” (The brand new lawsuit is separate from Sandoval and Ariana’s ongoing authorized drama over their shared residence in Los Angeles.)
Hold scrolling for a whole breakdown of every thing that has been stated in regards to the NSFW video and the continued revenge porn authorized drama:
Again to the Starting
In March 2023, Us confirmed that Sandoval and Ariana’s practically decade-long romance was over after she found his infidelity. Cameras instantly picked again as much as cowl the aftermath as Ariana informed their Vanderpump Guidelines costars what led to the invention.
“I went with Tom to TomTom as a result of he had that social gathering factor,” Ariana informed Katie Maloney and Scheana Shay within the season 10 finale. “I discovered a display recording of them on FaceTime. It was actually from the night time earlier than. I known as Raquel and I began making her f—king inform me. What the f—ok? When did this begin?”
In his confessional, Sandoval admitted he would normally “delete” comparable movies from his cellphone however he forgot that day.
As new info continued to return out in regards to the scandal, Rachel claimed the express video was achieved “illegally” with out her data or consent.
Season 11 of Vanderpump Guidelines documented Tom Sandoval‘s post-scandal apology tour — which has been met with combined reactions. Sandoval was at odds with most of his costars when information broke in March 2023 about his affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. After Sandoval and Ariana Madix‘s practically decade-long relationship got here to an finish on account of […]
Ship It Darrell
James Kennedy, Lala Kent, Katie Maloney, and Ariana Madix on the ‘Vanderpump Guidelines’ Season 11 Reunion. Griffen Nagel/Bravo
A lot of the Vanderpump Guidelines forged members sided with Ariana after the drama — a minimum of earlier than filming began on season 11
Lala revealed in March 2023 that she acquired a authorized discover from Rachel’s legal professional after publicly mentioning the intimate FaceTime video. Lala then took to social media to specific her annoyance with the lawyer contacting her personally as an alternative of sending the letter to her personal legal professional, Darrell Miller.
“Raquel, inform your little Mickey Mouse lawyer that if he has stuff to ship over, he can ship issues to my lawyer, identical with the remainder of my pals and forged, alright?” she stated in an Instagram Story on the time. “I don’t know if you know the way this works, you’re fairly model new to the sport. … Ship it to Darrell!”
The phrase went viral and Lala made a big amount of cash from merchandise.
“I can say that it allowed me to pay the down fee on my residence, and that was, like, inside a couple of hours,” she revealed throughout the Watch What Occurs Reside With Andy Cohen aftershow in June 2023. “The amount of cash that we made on ‘ship it to Darrell’ is fairly mind-blowing. Darrell’s an enormous star now.”
Us confirmed on the time that Rachel’s attorneys despatched a cease-and-desist letter to a number of Vanderpump Guidelines stars on the grounds that the video constituted a violation of California legal guidelines on the idea of “nonconsensual pornography.”
Ariana Fights Again
Whereas the video wasn’t a subject on the reunion, Ariana later shed some gentle on her aspect of the story.
“To be very clear, I’ve not proven or despatched that video. I don’t have it. I didn’t maintain on to it for any cause,” Ariana claimed on Scheana’s podcast in August 2023. “In order that video was gone earlier than I even known as her on the cellphone. I noticed about possibly 5 seconds of that. I wasn’t sitting there like opening popcorn. I do know that folks find out about what’s in it. It’s quite simple. I’m not going to get into the small print however there’s not lots of particulars. It’s very easy.”
She continued: “She despatched stop and desists to your complete forged as a precaution. I positively suppose that’s an awesome thought. I feel that’s the suitable factor to do. I completely perceive why that will be despatched out. Nice precaution to take. It is best to take that precaution. My lawyer responded to stated precaution with very thorough, very clear info that proves and confirmed that ‘Completely not [I didn’t spread it]. Right here’s proof.’”
Ariana inspired Rachel to “deal with” the truth that Sandoval recorded her “immediately with him.”
Rachel Recordsdata a Lawsuit and Shares Extra Particulars About Her Expertise
Us confirmed in March 2024 that Rachel filed for unspecified damages after Sandoval allegedly recorded a intercourse tape of her, which she needs destroyed. Regardless of not together with Bravo, NBCUniversal, Andy Cohen or different Vanderpump producers within the lawsuit, Rachel talked about them a number of instances.
“It’s clear that Bravo intentionally sacrificed Leviss for the sake of its business pursuits from its refusal to permit her the chance to inform her aspect of the story and defend herself, which she repeatedly begged for permission to do,” the paperwork acknowledged.
The paperwork famous that Rachel needed accountability for the video that was recorded with out her data and allegedly circulated to different folks.
“Misplaced within the combine was that Leviss was a sufferer of the predatory and dishonest habits of an older man, who recorded sexually specific movies of her with out her data or consent, which have been then distributed, disseminated, and mentioned publicly by a scorned girl looking for vengeance, catalyzing the scandal,” the paperwork acknowledged. “Leviss in the end checked herself right into a psychological well being facility and remained there for 3 months whereas Bravo, Evolution, and the forged milked the curiosity her excoriation had peaked.”
The paperwork continued: “Fueled in no small half by a NSFW Facetime video from Leviss that Sandoval seemingly secretly taped and supposedly circulated, Scandoval blew up final yr proper as Vanderpump Guidelines’ tenth season was airing on Bravo. Madix came upon in regards to the affair from a so-called unintended take a look at Sandovol’s cellphone present after which all unscripted Hell broke unfastened.”
Neither Sandoval nor Ariana’s authorized groups addressed the lawsuit on the time.
“It took me some time to course of Tom recording me with out me figuring out,” Rachel shared on her podcast in March 2024. “It wasn’t till I had my one-on-one trauma remedy session in The Meadows that I used to be capable of actually begin decompressing what he did and the way he violated a private boundary.”
Rachel additionally claimed she tried to confront Sandoval in regards to the video whereas they have been filming a scene for the season 10 finale of Vanderpump Guidelines. In response to Rachel, Sandoval refused to reply when she introduced the subject up after which allegedly demanded that producers not embrace the footage or he wouldn’t maintain filming for the present. (Bravo and Sandoval didn’t publicly deal with Rachel’s accusations on the time.)
Ariana and Sandoval’s Authorized Responses to Rachel’s Lawsuit
Within the months after Rachel’s preliminary submitting, Sandoval and Ariana petitioned the courtroom to dismiss Leviss’ swimsuit. (Aspect be aware: Sandoval’s legal professional, Matthew Geragos, is the brother of Rachel’s legal professional, Mark Geragos.)
Ariana subsequently filed her personal countersuit claiming that Rachel was looking for to “punish” and “blame Ms. Madix for the destructive response [she] acquired because of her affair.” She additionally denied sharing the NSFW video of Rachel.
“I didn’t ship the movies to anybody else. Nor did I share, show, or present the movies to anybody else,” Ariana wrote in a sworn declaration that was filed in April 2024 alongside her movement to strike the claims in opposition to her.
Ariana recalled sending the movies with a textual content that learn, “You’re lifeless to me.” She included a replica of the textual content chain with Rachel as an exhibit, including, “I didn’t ship the movies to anybody else. Nor did I share, show, or present the movies to anybody else.”
In response to Ariana, Sandoval “forcibly grabbed” her cellphone and deleted the movies. In a separate exhibit, Ariana included a textual content chain together with her pal Logan Cochran the place she wrote, “Tom took my cellphone and deleted them.”
Ariana and Sandoval continued to stay tight-lipped in regards to the authorized proceedings in interviews. Nonetheless, they acknowledged the drama involving Rachel throughout the season 11 reunion, which aired in Could 2024.
“You additionally introduced a s—t particular person into each of our lives in a really f—ked up method. And this bitch has to speak about me all of the f—king time. You probably did that,” Ariana informed Sandoval. “I simply wish to be away from you.”
Sandoval stated he felt “actually dangerous” in regards to the aftermath of his affair, saying, “I want you the most effective and I gives you your area. We’ll determine every thing out. We’ve our attorneys, don’t fear about it. I perceive.”
Sandoval’s Lawsuit Towards Ariana
Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix. Nicole Weingart/Bravo
Us broke the information in July 2024 that Sandoval filed his personal lawsuit the place he claimed Ariana “made copies” of the NSFW video and distributed it to “Leviss and third events” in opposition to his authority. Sandoval and his girlfriend, Victoria Lee Robinson, deleted their social media accounts shortly after the event made headlines.
Ariana’s legal professional addressed the state of affairs in a press release to Us, saying, “It’s abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. From participating in a bootleg affair that shattered her residence and stability, to months of emotional warfare and now this try to additional shirk private duty for the consequences his actions have had on her and her emotional wellbeing. Tom Sandoval is aware of full nicely what kind of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their private communication units.”
The assertion continued: “If he or his mistress had their method, it could be unlawful for somebody to find their partner or important different was having an affair. For Mr. Sandoval to go from begging Ms. Madix for forgiveness to blaming her for his wrongdoing speaks for itself. Even months after the New York Occasions branded Mr. Sandoval “probably the most hated man in America,” he has clearly realized nothing and believes it essential to proceed torturing Ms. Madix in a useless effort to rehabilitate his picture. Ms. Madix is assured {that a} jury will see by means of this newest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims.”
Sandoval’s legal professional supplied their perspective on the topic as nicely.
“Whereas Tom Sandoval accepts duty for his affair, he strongly denies the allegations of the lawsuit filed by Rachel Leviss in opposition to him and Ms. Madix,” the assertion learn. “To be able to guarantee a good and simply willpower of duty amongst all events concerned, we filed a cross grievance on behalf of Mr. Sandoval. This customary authorized motion was essential to make sure that legal responsibility, if any, is pretty distributed based mostly on the precise stage of involvement and fault of every social gathering. We intention to resolve this authorized dispute with upmost respect in the direction of all events concerned.”
Rachel has but to share her ideas on the lawsuit.
