{"id":112607,"date":"2024-07-19T00:02:53","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T00:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/19\/why-is-tom-sandoval-suing-ariana-madix-raquel-video-drama-explained\/"},"modified":"2024-07-19T00:02:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T00:02:53","slug":"why-is-tom-sandoval-suing-ariana-madix-raquel-video-drama-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/19\/why-is-tom-sandoval-suing-ariana-madix-raquel-video-drama-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Tom Sandoval Suing Ariana Madix? Raquel Video Drama Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix.<\/span> Bravo (3)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than one year after Scandoval, Us Weekly<\/em> is still your go-to source for the latest on Tom Sandoval<\/strong><\/a>, Ariana Madix<\/strong><\/a> and Rachel \u201cRaquel\u201d Leviss<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

After dating for nearly a decade, Ariana and Sandoval broke up in March 2023 when she discovered that he had a months-long affair<\/a> with Rachel. The smoking gun that led to the split was an intimate video of Rachel that Ariana found on Sandoval\u2019s phone.<\/p>\n

While Sandoval and Ariana returned to VPR<\/em><\/a>, Rachel left the show and launched her \u201cRachel Goes Rogue\u201d podcast. One day before the first anniversary of Scandoval, Rachel filed a lawsuit against Sandoval and Ariana for revenge porn, eavesdropping and invasion of privacy.<\/p>\n

According to paperwork obtained by Us Weekly<\/em> in March 2024, Rachel referenced the explicit video Sandoval allegedly recorded<\/a> \u201cillegally\u201d without her knowledge or consent. She also accused Bravo and the Evolution production company of misleading her into thinking she couldn\u2019t speak out about her mistreatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs 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,\u201d the documents noted. \u201cMeanwhile, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Updates in the case included Sandoval trying to dismiss the suit while Ariana filed her own countersuit<\/a>. The twist, however, came in July 2024 when Sandoval sued Ariana on the grounds that she \u201cobtained access\u201d to his phone and reviewed videos<\/a> of him and Rachel without his \u201cauthorization or permission.\u201d (The new lawsuit is separate from Sandoval and Ariana\u2019s ongoing legal drama over their shared home<\/a> in Los Angeles.)<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for a complete breakdown of everything that has been said about the NSFW video and the ongoing revenge porn legal drama:\n<\/p>\n

Back to the Beginning<\/h3>\n
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Vivien Killilea\/Getty Images for CLD PR \/ White Fox<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In March 2023, Us confirmed that Sandoval and Ariana\u2019s nearly decade-long romance was over after she discovered his infidelity<\/a>. Cameras immediately picked back up to cover the aftermath as Ariana told their Vanderpump Rules<\/em> costars what led to the discovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went with Tom to TomTom because he had that party thing,\u201d Ariana told Katie Maloney <\/strong>and Scheana Shay<\/strong> in the season 10 finale. \u201cI found a screen recording of them on FaceTime. It was literally from the night before. I called Raquel and I started making her f\u2014king tell me. What the f\u2014k? When did this start?\u201d<\/p>\n

In his confessional, Sandoval admitted he would usually \u201cdelete\u201d similar videos<\/a> from his phone but he forgot that day.<\/p>\n

As new information continued to come out about the scandal, Rachel claimed the explicit video was done \u201cillegally\u201d without her knowledge or consent.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Breaking Down the Order ‘VPR’ Cast Members Forgave Tom Sandoval<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tSeason 11 of Vanderpump Rules documented Tom Sandoval\u2018s post-scandal apology tour \u2014 which has been met with mixed reactions. Sandoval was at odds with most of his costars when news broke in March 2023 about his affair with Rachel \u201cRaquel\u201d Leviss. After Sandoval and Ariana Madix\u2018s nearly decade-long relationship came to an end due to [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Send It Darrell<\/h3>\n
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\n James Kennedy, Lala Kent, Katie Maloney, and Ariana Madix at the \u2018Vanderpump Rules\u2019 Season 11 Reunion.<\/span> Griffen Nagel\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of the Vanderpump Rules<\/em> cast members sided with Ariana<\/a> after the drama \u2014 at least before filming started on season 11<\/p>\n

Lala revealed in March 2023 that she received a legal notice from Rachel\u2019s attorney after publicly bringing up the intimate FaceTime video. Lala then took to social media to express her annoyance with the lawyer contacting her personally instead of sending the letter to her own attorney, Darrell Miller<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cRaquel, tell your little Mickey Mouse lawyer that if he has stuff to send over, he can send things to my lawyer, same with the rest of my friends and cast, alright?\u201d she said in an Instagram Story at the time. \u201cI don\u2019t know if you know how this works, you\u2019re pretty brand new to the game. \u2026 Send it to Darrell!\u201d<\/p>\n

The phrase went viral and Lala made a large amount of money<\/a> from merchandise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can say that it allowed me to pay the down payment on my home, and that was, like, within a few hours,\u201d she revealed during the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen aftershow in June 2023. \u201cThe amount of money that we made on \u2018send it to Darrell\u2019 is pretty mind-blowing. Darrell\u2019s a big star now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Us<\/em> confirmed at the time that Rachel\u2019s attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter to several Vanderpump Rules<\/em> stars<\/a> on the grounds that the video constituted a violation of California laws on the basis of \u201cnonconsensual pornography.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ariana Fights Back<\/h3>\n
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Casey Durkin\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the video wasn\u2019t a topic at the reunion, Ariana later shed some light on her side of the story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be very clear, I have not shown or sent that video. I don\u2019t have it. I did not hold on to it for any reason,\u201d Ariana claimed on Scheana\u2019s podcast in August 2023. \u201cSo that video was gone before I even called her on the phone. I saw about maybe 5 seconds of that. I wasn\u2019t sitting there like opening popcorn. I know that people know about what\u2019s in it. It\u2019s very simple. I\u2019m not going to get into the details but there\u2019s not a lot of details. It\u2019s very straightforward.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued: \u201cShe sent cease and desists to the entire cast as a precaution. I definitely think that\u2019s a great idea. I think that\u2019s the right thing to do. I totally understand why that would be sent out. Great precaution to take. You should take that precaution. My lawyer responded to said precaution with very thorough, very clear information that proves and showed that \u2018Absolutely not [I didn\u2019t spread it]. Here\u2019s proof.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Ariana encouraged Rachel to \u201caddress\u201d the fact that Sandoval recorded her \u201cdirectly with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Files a Lawsuit and Shares More Details About Her Experience<\/h3>\n
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Charles Sykes\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Us<\/em> confirmed in March 2024 that Rachel filed for unspecified damages after Sandoval allegedly recorded a sex tape of her, which she wants destroyed. Despite not including Bravo, NBCUniversal, Andy Cohen<\/strong> or other Vanderpump<\/em> producers in the lawsuit, Rachel mentioned them several times.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt 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,\u201d the paperwork stated.<\/p>\n

The documents noted that Rachel wanted accountability for the video<\/a> that was recorded without her knowledge and allegedly circulated to other people.<\/p>\n

\u201cLost 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,\u201d the documents stated. \u201cLeviss 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The paperwork continued: \u201cFueled in no small part by a NSFW Facetime video from Leviss that Sandoval seemingly secretly taped and supposedly circulated, Scandoval blew up last year right as Vanderpump Rules\u2019 10th season was airing on Bravo. Madix found out about the affair from a so-called accidental look at Sandovol\u2019s phone show and then all unscripted Hell broke loose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither Sandoval nor Ariana\u2019s legal teams addressed the lawsuit at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took me a while to process Tom recording me without me knowing,\u201d Rachel shared on her podcast in March 2024. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t until I had my one-on-one trauma therapy session in The Meadows that I was able to really start decompressing what he did and how he violated a personal boundary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel also claimed she tried to confront Sandoval about the video<\/a> while they were filming a scene for the season 10 finale of Vanderpump Rules. According to Rachel, Sandoval refused to respond when she brought the topic up and then allegedly demanded that producers not include the footage<\/a> or he wouldn\u2019t keep filming for the show. (Bravo and Sandoval didn\u2019t publicly address Rachel\u2019s accusations at the time.)<\/p>\n

Ariana and Sandoval\u2019s Legal Responses to Rachel\u2019s Lawsuit<\/h3>\n
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Nicole Weingart\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the months after Rachel\u2019s initial filing, Sandoval and Ariana petitioned the court to dismiss Leviss\u2019 suit<\/a>. (Side note: Sandoval\u2019s attorney, Matthew Geragos<\/strong>, is the brother of Rachel\u2019s attorney, Mark Geragos<\/strong>.)<\/p>\n

Ariana subsequently filed her own countersuit claiming that Rachel was seeking to \u201cpunish\u201d and \u201cblame Ms. Madix for the negative reaction [she] received as a result of her affair.\u201d She also denied sharing the NSFW video of Rachel.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did not send the videos to anyone else. Nor did I share, display, or show the videos to anyone else,\u201d Ariana wrote in a sworn declaration that was filed in April 2024 alongside her motion to strike the claims against her.<\/p>\n

Ariana recalled sending the videos with a text that read, \u201cYou\u2019re dead to me.\u201d She included a copy of the text chain with Rachel as an exhibit, adding, \u201cI did not send the videos to anyone else. Nor did I share, display, or show the videos to anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Ariana, Sandoval \u201cforcibly grabbed\u201d her phone and deleted the videos. In a separate exhibit, Ariana included a text chain with her friend Logan Cochran where she wrote, \u201cTom took my phone and deleted them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ariana and Sandoval continued to remain tight-lipped about the legal proceedings in interviews. However, they a<\/a>cknowledged the drama involving Rachel<\/a> during the season 11 reunion, which aired in May 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou also brought a s\u2014t person into both of our lives in a very f\u2014ked up way. And this bitch has to talk about me all the f\u2014king time. You did that,\u201d Ariana told Sandoval. \u201cI just want to be away from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sandoval said he felt \u201creally bad\u201d about the aftermath of his affair, saying, \u201cI wish you the best and I will give you your space. We will figure everything out. We have our lawyers, don\u2019t worry about it. I understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sandoval\u2019s Lawsuit Against Ariana<\/h3>\n
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\n Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix.<\/span> Nicole Weingart\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Us<\/em> broke the news in July 2024 that Sandoval filed his own lawsuit where he claimed Ariana \u201cmade copies\u201d of the NSFW video and distributed it to \u201cLeviss and third parties\u201d against his authority. Sandoval and his girlfriend, Victoria Lee Robinson<\/strong>, deleted their social media accounts<\/a> shortly after the development made headlines.<\/p>\n

Ariana\u2019s attorney addressed the situation in a statement to Us<\/em>, saying, \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement continued: \u201cIf 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 \u201cthe most hated man in America,\u201d 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sandoval\u2019s attorney offered their perspective on the subject as well.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Tom Sandoval accepts responsibility for his affair, he strongly denies the allegations of the lawsuit filed by Rachel Leviss against him and Ms. Madix,\u201d the statement read. \u201cIn 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel has yet to share her thoughts on the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

Sandoval Breaks Silence on Ariana Lawsuit, Fires Lawyer<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n Tom Sandoval , Ariana Madix<\/span> Frazer Harrison\/Getty Images ; Amanda Edwards\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two days after filing a lawsuit against Ariana, Sandoval released a statement claiming it was never his intent to sue his ex-girlfriend<\/a>. He alleged that his attorney, Matt, mislead him.<\/p>\n

\u201cLate Tuesday afternoon, my attorney, Matt Geragos, whose advice I trusted, called me about the Cross-Complaint in the lawsuit against myself and Ariana,\u201d Sandoval explained via social media on July 18, 2024. \u201cHe assured me that the action was customary and strictly preventative in these types of lawsuits and urged me to agree to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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