Truly support
independent journalism
Our mission is to provide unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds the powerful to account and exposes the truth.
Whether it's $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us in offering journalism without agenda.
Vanderpump Rules Star Tom Sandoval has clarified that he is “in no way” suing his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix following her cheating scandal with former co-star Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
The 42-year-old reality star initially filed a countersuit against the Love Island, United States The 39-year-old presenter was accused of invading her privacy and distributing explicit videos of him and Leviss without her permission. In the lawsuit, which was filed in a Los Angeles court on July 17, Sandoval alleged that Madix invaded his privacy when she illegally “gained access” to his phone on March 1, 2023, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sandoval claimed Madix had reviewed “images, information, data, videos and/or communications” that included “FaceTime videos” between him and Leviss, with whom he had been in a seven-month relationship. He alleged in the filing that Madix did not have his “authorization or permission” to look at his phone or view videos on the device.
The co-owner of TomTom Restaurant and Bar also claimed that Madix “made copies of the data and distributed the data to Leviss and third parties without [his] authorization or permission.”
At the time, Madix's lawyers denied the lawsuit's allegations and criticized her ex-girlfriend of nine years for trying to “shirk personal responsibility” for the fallout from her affair with Leviss.
“It is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. From engaging in an illicit relationship that shattered her home and stability, to months of emotional warfare, and now this attempt to further evade personal responsibility for the effects his actions have had on her and her emotional well-being,” her attorney, Jordan Susman, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter“Mr. Sandoval knows full well what kind of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared when it came to their personal communication devices. If he or his mistress had their way, it would be illegal for anyone to find out that their spouse or partner was having an affair.”
“The fact that Mr. Sandoval has gone from asking Ms. Madix for forgiveness to blaming her for his wrongdoings speaks for itself,” she continued. “Even months later The New York Times “Despite the prosecutor’s labeling of Mr. Sandoval as “the most hated man in America,” he has clearly learned nothing and believes it is necessary to continue torturing Ms. Madix in a vain attempt to rehabilitate his image. Ms. Madix is confident that a jury will see through this latest ploy and dismiss her frivolous claims.”
In a lengthy statement released on his Instagram on Thursday, Sandoval announced that he had dropped the lawsuit against Madix and fired his legal team after news of the countersuit made headlines.
“My attorney Matt Geragos, whose advice I relied on, called me to discuss the cross-claim in the lawsuit against me and Ariana,” the Schwartz & Sandy co-owner wrote. “He assured me that the action was customary and strictly preemptive in these types of lawsuits and urged me to accept it. I was not told the words ‘new lawsuit’ or ‘sue.’ I should have done more due diligence on the matter.”
Sandoval continued, “Realizing what this action truly means, I have removed Matt Geragos from my legal team. I am in no way suing Ariana. The action against Ariana filed on my behalf is being removed. I have no ill will or desire for revenge toward Ariana. Now, by removing both the countersuit and the attorney who recommended it, I hope to resolve this case quickly, so Ariana and I can finally move on with our lives.”
His former lawyer, Geragos, said We weekly who had initially filed the countersuit “to ensure a fair and equitable determination of liability among all parties involved,” after Leviss filed a separate lawsuit against Sandoval and Madix in February. The 29-year-old reality star is seeking a jury trial after accusing the exes of spying, revenge porn and invasion of privacy. While both Sandoval and Madix have attempted to dismiss Leviss’ claims in subsequent countersuits, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Crowley recently set a trial date for Nov. 3, 2025.
In March 2023, it was reported that TMZ that Sandoval and Madix, who had been in a relationship since 2014, had broken up after she found out about his affair with Leviss. Sources later confirmed to People that Madix had found “a selfie video of a sexual nature of Leviss” on Sandoval’s phone.
The fallout from the cheating scandal, dubbed #Scandoval, saw Madix confront her ex about his infidelity during Bravo's tenth season. Vanderpump RulesBoth Sandoval and Leviss apologized to Madix on social media in the days after their romance was revealed. After filming for the tenth season wrapped in March 2023, Leviss checked into a mental health facility in Arizona for two months, where she sought “mental health and trauma therapy” treatment. In May 2023, it was reported that Sandoval and Leviss had officially ended their relationship.
