Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix. Getty Images (3)
Tom Sandoval is suing Ariana Madix for accessing explicit videos of Rachel “Raquel” Leviss on his cell phone without his “authorization.”
According to court documents exclusively obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, July 16, Sandoval, 40, is claiming that Madix, 39, “obtained access” to Sandoval’s phone on March 1, 2023, and reviewed videos of Sandoval and Leviss, 29, without his “authorization or permission.”
The video drama played out on the season 9 finale of Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules last year, when cameras picked back up to capture the aftermath of Madix, who had been dating Sandoval for nearly a decade, discovering footage of Leviss on her then-boyfriend’s phone. (Madix and Sandoval subsequently called it quits due to the affair, and Sandoval briefly dated Leviss until their May 2023 split.)
Sandoval’s filing alleges that Madix “made copies” of the video and distributed it to “Leviss and third parties” against his authority.
The cast of Vanderpump Rules are no strangers to controversy. The staff of Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant SUR made their debut on Bravo in 2013 as part of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spinoff. The season 1 cast included Vanderpump, Stassi Schroeder, Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute and Scheana Shay. […]
Madix’s attorney, Jordan Susman, responded to Sandoval’s claims in a statement to Us on Tuesday.
“It is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. From engaging in an illicit affair that shattered her home and stability, to months of emotional warfare and now this attempt to further shirk personal responsibility for the effects his actions have had on her and her emotional wellbeing. Tom Sandoval knows full well what sort of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their personal communication devices.
The statement continued: “If he or his mistress had their way, it would be illegal for someone to discover their spouse or significant other 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 Times branded Mr. Sandoval “the most hated man in America,” he has clearly learned nothing and believes it necessary to continue torturing Ms. Madix in a vain effort to rehabilitate his image. Ms. Madix is confident that a jury will see through this latest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims.”
Sandoval’s attorney, Matthew Geragos, the brother of Leviss’ attorney, Mark Geragos, provided a statement to Us in the early hours of Wednesday, July 17.
“While Tom Sandoval accepts responsibility for his affair, he strongly denies the allegations of the lawsuit filed by Rachel Leviss against him and Ms. Madix,” the statement read. “In order to ensure a fair and just determination of responsibility among all parties involved, we filed a cross complaint on behalf of Mr. Sandoval. This customary legal action was crucial to ensure that liability, if any, is fairly distributed based on the actual level of involvement and fault of each party. We aim to resolve this legal dispute with upmost respect towards all parties involved.”
Sandoval’s lawsuit against Madix comes after Leviss filed her own lawsuit against the exes on February 29, accusing them of eavesdropping, revenge porn and an invasion of privacy. Sandoval later countersued Leviss in April, claiming that her filing was “a thinly veiled attempt to extend [Leviss’] fame and to rebrand herself as the victim.”
Several Vanderpump Rules stars have stepped away from the Bravo series over the years. Cameras started following the staff at Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant SUR in 2012 after she rose to fame on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Season 1 of Pump Rules, which premiered in January 2013, starred Lisa, Stassi Schroeder, Jax […]
Later that month, Sandoval requested that Leviss’ lawsuit against him and Madix be dismissed or amended, per court documents obtained by Us at the time.
Madix, meanwhile, filed her own countersuit against Leviss days later, claiming that Leviss was seeking to “punish” and “blame Ms. Madix for the negative reaction [she] received as a result of her affair.”
Madix’s attorneys argued that she learned of Sandoval and Leviss’ affair “in the worst possible way” when she discovered the video of them “having phone sex.” Madix was “devastated” and “immediately confronted” Sandoval about the issue and told her friends of the “betrayal,” per the docs. However, Madix claimed she never shared “any of the video footage she found” with anyone but Leviss.
Sandoval and Madix’s legal dramas extend to the shared home they are currently battling over. Last month, Us reported that the pair must settle their situation via private mediation or they will go to trial starting February 17, 2026.
With reporting by Brody Brown and Sarah Jones
