The Scandoval cheating scandal continues to generate more legal fallout as “Vanderpump Rules” star Tom Sandoval sues his ex-girlfriend and co-star Ariana Madix for invasion of privacy.
Madix accessed her former longtime partner's phone in March 2023 and “reviewed images, information, data, videos and/or communications,” including sexually explicit FaceTime footage of co-star Rachel Leviss, without her “authorization or permission,” Sandoval alleged in a countersuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Madix also allegedly made copies of Leviss’ explicit material and “distributed the material.” [videos] to Leviss and third parties” without Sandoval’s consent, the complaint says.
The countersuit stems from a lawsuit Leviss, 29 (formerly “Raquel Leviss”), filed in February, accusing Sandoval, 42, and Madix, 39, of spying, revenge pornography, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Leviss filed her suit a year after the tabloid scandal revealed that she had been sleeping with Sandoval, Madix’s longtime boyfriend.
Both Leviss' lawsuit and Sandoval's countersuit center on an incident that occurred on March 1, 2023, in which Madix allegedly went through Sandoval's phone after it fell out of her pocket during a performance in West Hollywood with her band. She found sexually explicit footage from a FaceTime call between Leviss and Sandoval, sparking the cheating scandal. In her lawsuit, Leviss accused Sandoval of recording her without her consent.
Sandoval alleges that Madix, by reviewing her phone without her consent and sharing a video of Leviss, was “guilty of oppression, fraud or malice, in that regard.” [Madix] acted with the intention of humiliating, hurting or bothering [Sandoval] and/or with a voluntary and conscious disregard for [Sandoval’s] rights.”
Jordan Susman, Madix’s attorney, told The Times in a statement that “it is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix.” Susman condemned Sandoval and accused him of trying to “shirk personal responsibility for the effects his actions had” on Madix.
“Mr. Sandoval knows full well what kind of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared when it came to their personal communication devices,” Susman said. “If he or his mistress had their way, it would be illegal for anyone to discover that their spouse or partner was having an affair.”
Susman said Madix is “confident” that the court will “see through” Sandoval and his “frivolous” accusations.
Sandoval seeks comparative fault determination in Leviss lawsuit, general damages, attorneys' fees and more.
Times Researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.
