Raquel Leviss Files Lawsuit Against Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Over Sandoval Fallout
Raquel Leviss, a former cast member of “Vanderpump Rules,” has taken legal action against her former co-stars, Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval, following the aftermath of the Scandoval incident. In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, California, Leviss, who is 29 years old, alleges that she was a “victim of the predatory and dishonest behavior of an older man” who filmed sexually explicit videos “without her knowledge or consent”. The lawsuit accuses Madix and Sandoval of revenge porn, eavesdropping, and invasion of privacy.
Raquel Leviss Files Lawsuit
If you thought the blast radius from Vanderpump Rules‘ infamous “Scandoval” was contained, think again. In a blistering lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles, Rachel Leviss is taking Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix to court for claims of revenge porn, eavesdropping, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
And she’s pretty clear why.
“‘Scandoval’ massively captured the public’s attention, went completely viral, and injected new life into Vanderpump Rules,” declares the jury trial-seeking complaint filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court. “It also caused mayhem in Leviss’s life, culminating in months-long in-patient treatment at a mental health facility and her departure from the show. Fomented by Bravo and Evolution in conjunction with the cast, Leviss was subjected to a public skewering with little precedent and became, without exaggeration, one of the most hated women in America.”
While Bravo, NBCUniversal, Andy Cohen and other Vanderpump producers are not named in this latest legal action arising from the Real Housewives franchise, they are named all over it.
At the same time, as the behind-the-scenes machinations of the unscripted world is coming under increased scrutiny, and even as Leviss is centering her ire on Sandoval and Madix in seeking unspecified damages, the Bryan Freedman- and Mark Geragos-represented ex-VR star wants all copies of a NSFW Facetime video involving her and Sandoval destroyed, and an injunction to shut down anyone ever seeing it again – and that’s on NBCUniversal’s Bravo and producers Amazon MGM Studios’ Evolution Media.
“It is clear that Bravo deliberately sacrificed Leviss for the sake of its commercial interests from its refusal to allow her the opportunity to tell her side of the story and defend herself, which she repeatedly begged for permission to do,” Leviss’ filing reads.
The 19-page complaint adds that what you saw on TV in VR’s 10th season may not have been all that was really going on:
Plaintiff Rachel Leviss is a former cast member on Vanderpump Rules, a reality television show produced by Evolution Media (“Evolution”) and broadcast by Bravo Media (“Bravo”), an asset of NBCUniversal (“NBC”) (together with Bravo, “Bravo”). This case arises from a scandal of epic proportions starting in March 2023. Stemming from an affair between Leviss and another cast member, Tom Sandoval, “Scandoval”-as it came to be known-went instantly viral and was the subject of extraordinary press coverage, even in the mainstream media.
“Scandoval” injected new life into a previously faltering series, causing its viewership to explode to unseen levels and making its cast members mega-celebrities. Due to a narrative deliberately fomented by Bravo, Evolution, and the cast, Leviss became an object of public scorn and ridicule.
To be clear, Leviss has repeatedly acknowledged that her actions were morally objectionable and deeply hurtful to Madix. She has offered numerous apologies. There is more to the story, however. Lost in the mix was that 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. Leviss ultimately checked herself into a mental health facility and remained there for three months while Bravo, Evolution, and the cast milked the interest her excoriation had peaked.
To make matters worse, Leviss was misled by Bravo and Evolution into believing that she was contractually barred from speaking out about her mistreatment. As a result, she suffered in silence as Bravo and Evolution watched viewership explode, and the rest of the cast enjoyed unseen levels of public recognition and professional opportunity. 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.
Scandoval Fallout: The events surrounding Scandoval captured the public’s attention and went viral, causing significant upheaval in Leviss’s life. She underwent months-long voluntary treatment at a mental health facility and eventually departed from the show.
Public Skewering: Leviss claims that she became “one of the most hated women in America” due to the scandal. She acknowledges her morally objectionable actions and the apologies she issued to Madix but asserts that there is “more to the story”.
Explicit Videos: In March 2023, explicit videos of Leviss were allegedly discovered by Madix during Leviss’s nine-year relationship with Sandoval. The revelation of their months-long affair rocked Bravo fans and became a pop cultural sensation.
Legal Allegations: Leviss contends that she was a victim of Sandoval’s actions, as he filmed and distributed the explicit videos without her consent. Madix, described as a “scorned woman seeking vengeance,” allegedly made the recordings public.
Silenced Suffering: The lawsuit claims that Leviss was “misled” by Bravo and Evolution (the production company) into believing she was “contractually barred from speaking out about her mistreatment.” While she suffered in silence, other parties involved with Scandoval gained “unseen levels of public recognition and professional opportunity”.
This legal battle sheds light on the complexities of reality TV relationships and the impact of public scrutiny on individuals’ lives. Leviss seeks unspecified damages as she confronts the fallout from a deeply personal and distressing situation.
