Current:Home > News'Vanderpump Rules' star Rachel Leviss sues Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for revenge porn: Reports -WealthX
'Vanderpump Rules' star Rachel Leviss sues Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for revenge porn: Reports
View
Date:2025-04-15 16:34:14
The "Scandoval" drama is headed to a courtroom.
In the wake of the "Vanderpump Rules" cheating scandal, Rachel "Raquel" Leviss filed a lawsuit against both Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix in Los Angeles on Thursday, alleging revenge porn, invasion of privacy and eavesdropping, according to Deadline and Variety.
In 2023, the Bravo reality show documented Madix discovering that Sandoval, 40, was cheating on her with their co-star, Leviss, 29, after she found a video on his phone that revealed the affair. In the show, Madix, 38, described discovering a screen recording of Sandoval and Leviss on FaceTime.
The complaint says there "is more to the story," though, alleging Leviss was "a victim of the predatory and dishonest behavior of an older man, who recorded sexually explicit videos of her without her knowledge or consent, which were then distributed, disseminated, and discussed publicly by a scorned woman seeking vengeance, catalyzing the scandal."
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Leviss, Sandoval, Madix and Bravo for comment.
Leviss "became an object of public scorn and ridicule," culminating in her "months-long in-patient treatment at a mental health facility," because of a narrative that was "deliberately fomented by Bravo" and Evolution Media, the production company behind "Vanderpump Rules," the lawsuit argues.
It goes on to claim that Leviss was misled into "believing that she was contractually barred from speaking out about her mistreatment." Bravo refused to allow her an "opportunity to tell her side of the story and defend herself, which she repeatedly begged for permission to do," the suit alleges.
'Vanderpump Rules' cheating scandal:What Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss and Ariana Madix have said
"Meanwhile, Leviss, who was humiliated and villainized for public consumption, remains a shell of her former self, with her career prospects stunted and her reputation in tatters," it states.
"Vanderpump Rules" returned for Season 11 in January, with Leviss no longer a part of the cast. She also did not appear at the annual BravoCon convention in November.
Leviss previously alleged on Bethenny Frankel's "Just B" podcast last year that she didn't know she was being recorded when she was on FaceTime with Sandoval. "I decided to be adventurous and look at the adult section on the TV, and Tom and I FaceTime a lot, so it turned into more of an intimate FaceTime," she said. "I expected to have privacy in that moment."
When Madix subsequently messaged her "two screen-recorded videos and a text that said, 'You're dead to me,'" this is "how I found out that I had been recorded without my consent," Leviss said.
The lawsuit comes a week after Sandoval spoke out about the scandal in a lengthy New York Times Magazine profile, in which he raised eyebrows for comparing it to "the O.J. Simpson thing and George Floyd." He later apologized, saying he was "incredibly sorry and embarrassed" for the comments.
Tom Sandovalslammed by 'Vanderpump Rules' co-stars for posing with captive tiger
Sandoval faced significant backlash when his cheating was revealed, and the New York Times profile suggested he may be the "most hated man in America." In the interview, he maintained he did what he did "because I was in an unhappy place in my life," and he "got caught up in my emotions and fully fell in love."
Sandoval also said it was "kind of cool and crazy" that the Bravo show received so much attention for the scandal, "even though it's negative and at my expense."
Contributing: Edward Segarra
veryGood! (443)
Related
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- Biggest moments from the SAG Awards, from Pedro Pascal's f-bomb to Billie Eilish's Sharpie
- Don't fret Android and iPhone users, here are some messaging apps if service goes out
- Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt have a 'Devil Wears Prada' reunion at SAG Awards
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- These Candid 2024 SAG Awards Moments Will Make You Feel Like You Were There
- Honor for Chris Chelios in Patrick Kane's Chicago return is perfect for Detroit Red Wings
- List of winners at the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- 8 killed after head-on crash in California farming region
Ranking
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Barbra Streisand Will Make You Believe in Movie Magic with SAG Life Achievement Speech
- The 2025 Dodge Ram 1500 drops the Hemi V-8. We don't miss it.
- How to watch and stream 'Where is Wendy Williams?' documentary on Lifetime
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Conservative megadonors Koch not funding Haley anymore as she continues longshot bid
- AT&T will give $5 to customers hit by cellphone network outage
- You'll Love Selena Gomez's Sparkly 2024 SAG Awards Dress Like a Love Song
Recommendation
What to watch: O Jolie night
Vin Diesel to stay with 'Fast and Furious' franchise after sexual assault lawsuit
Suspect arrested in murder of student on Kentucky college campus
AT&T will give $5 to customers hit by cellphone network outage
What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
Jen Pawol becomes the first woman to umpire a spring training game since 2007
The NFL should be ashamed of itself that Eric Bieniemy has to coach in college
Chemours and DuPont Knew About Risks But Kept Making Toxic PFAS Chemicals, UN Human Rights Advisors Conclude