Why Is Tom Sandoval Suing Ariana Madix? Raquel Video Drama Explained

A couple of 12 months after Scandoval, Us Weekly continues to be your go-to supply for the newest 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 telephone.

Whereas Sandoval and Ariana returned to VPR, Rachel left the present and launched her “Rachel Goes Rogue” podcast. Sooner or later 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 keeping with paperwork obtained by Us Weekly in March 2024, Rachel referenced the express video Sandoval allegedly recorded “illegally” with out her information or consent. She additionally accused Bravo and the Evolution manufacturing firm of deceptive her into considering she couldn’t converse out about her mistreatment.

“In consequence, she suffered in silence as Bravo and Evolution watched viewership explode, and the remainder of the solid 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, along with her profession prospects stunted and her repute 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 telephone 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 house in Los Angeles.)

Hold scrolling for a whole breakdown of all the pieces that has been stated in regards to the NSFW video and the continuing 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 get together 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 telephone however he forgot that day.

As new data continued to come back out in regards to the scandal, Rachel claimed the express video was achieved “illegally” with out her information or consent.

Associated: Breaking Down the Order ‘VPR’ Forged Members Forgave Tom Sandoval

Season 11 of Vanderpump Guidelines documented Tom Sandoval‘s post-scandal apology tour — which has been met with blended 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 resulting from […]

Ship It Darrell

A lot of the Vanderpump Guidelines solid members sided with Ariana after the drama — a minimum of earlier than filming began on season 11

Lala revealed in March 2023 that she obtained a authorized discover from Rachel’s legal professional after publicly citing the intimate FaceTime video. Lala then took to social media to specific her annoyance with the lawyer contacting her personally as a substitute 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, similar with the remainder of my pals and solid, 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 sum of money from merchandise.

“I can say that it allowed me to pay the down fee on my house, and that was, like, inside just a few hours,” she revealed through the Watch What Occurs Dwell With Andy Cohen aftershow in June 2023. “The sum of money 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 premise 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 motive,” Ariana claimed on Scheana’s podcast in August 2023. “In order that video was gone earlier than I even known as her on the telephone. 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 main points however there’s not a number of particulars. It’s very simple.”

She continued: “She despatched stop and desists to your complete solid as a precaution. I undoubtedly suppose that’s an amazing thought. I feel that’s the proper factor to do. I completely perceive why that may 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 data 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 Information 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 desires 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 industrial 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 wished accountability for the video that was recorded with out her information and allegedly circulated to different individuals.

“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 information or consent, which have been then distributed, disseminated, and mentioned publicly by a scorned girl searching 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 solid 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 12 months proper as Vanderpump Guidelines’ tenth season was airing on Bravo. Madix discovered in regards to the affair from a so-called unintended have a look at Sandovol’s telephone 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 keeping with 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 hold 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. (Facet word: 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 searching for to “punish” and “blame Ms. Madix for the detrimental response [she] obtained on account 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 keeping with Ariana, Sandoval “forcibly grabbed” her telephone and deleted the movies. In a separate exhibit, Ariana included a textual content chain along with her good friend Logan Cochran the place she wrote, “Tom took my telephone 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 through the season 11 reunion, which aired in Might 2024.

“You additionally introduced a s—t particular person into each of our lives in a really f—ked up approach. 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 unhealthy” in regards to the aftermath of his affair, saying, “I want you the most effective and I provides you with your house. We are going to determine all the pieces out. We have now our attorneys, don’t fear about it. I perceive.”

Sandoval’s Lawsuit In opposition to Ariana

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 scenario 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 house and stability, to months of emotional warfare and now this try to additional shirk private duty for the results his actions have had on her and her emotional wellbeing. Tom Sandoval is aware of full properly 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 approach, it might be unlawful for somebody to find their partner or vital 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 Instances branded Mr. Sandoval “probably the most hated man in America,” he has clearly discovered 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 via this newest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims.”

Sandoval’s legal professional provided their perspective on the topic as properly.

“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. “With a purpose to guarantee a good and simply dedication of duty amongst all events concerned, we filed a cross criticism 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 get together. We goal to resolve this authorized dispute with upmost respect in direction of all events concerned.”

Rachel has but to share her ideas on the lawsuit.

Sandoval Breaks Silence on Ariana Lawsuit, Fires Lawyer

Two days after submitting a lawsuit in opposition to Ariana, Sandoval launched a press release claiming it was by no means his intent to sue his ex-girlfriend. He alleged that his legal professional, Matt, mislead him.

“Late Tuesday afternoon, my legal professional, Matt Geragos, whose recommendation I trusted, known as me in regards to the Cross-Criticism within the lawsuit in opposition to myself and Ariana,” Sandoval defined through social media on July 18, 2024. “He assured me that the motion was customary and strictly preventative in a lot of these lawsuits and urged me to conform to it.”

He alleged, “The phrases ‘New Lawsuit’ or ‘Suing’ weren’t articulated to me.” Nonetheless, Sandoval confessed, “I ought to’ve achieved extra of my due diligence on the matter.”

After realizing what “this motion really means,” Sandoval introduced that he has “eliminated Matt Geragos from my authorized crew.” The truth star insisted, “On no account am I suing Ariana. The motion in opposition to Ariana introduced on my behalf is being eliminated. I had no sick will or vindictiveness towards Ariana.”

Sandoval concluded that by “eradicating” the Cross-Criticism and his legal professional, he hopes he can “get via this case shortly” and that each he and Ariana can “lastly transfer on with our lives.”