The cheating scandal that rocked “Vanderpump Rules” is now being taken to court.
Rachel Leviss has filed a lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court against Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for eavesdropping, revenge porn, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Leviss, who was a cast member on the reality show, had a secret romantic relationship with Sandoval during the filming of Season 10, despite him dating fellow cast member Madix. Sandoval and Madix returned for the show’s current Season 11, while Leviss did not.
“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 women seeking vengeance, catalyzing the scandal,” the lawsuit reads.
A video of Leviss and Sandoval was discussed in the previous season of “Vanderpump Rules” as the catalyst of the explosive so-called Scandoval, since Madix said she accidentally saw the video on Sandoval’s phone, alerting her to the relationship. The video was sexually explicit, though Madix never stated that on camera.
As the lawsuit continues, alleging that Scandoval “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.”
The lawsuit also stated that, “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.”
In the lawsuit, Leviss also recounts an incident in which she alleges that on Mar. 4, 2023, she “confronted Sandoval for secretly recording pornographic videos of her and storing them unprotected on his phone.” Said conversation left him so “rattled” that he “refused to leave Leviss’s apartment in spite of her requests. Leviss was forced to have her sister and brother-in-law pick her up and drive her to their home.”
The lawsuit states that Sandoval received a development deal from Bravo “for a job well done,” along with a pay raise, but a source close to the matter tells PvNew that no such deal exists.
A spokesperson for NBCU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Leviss declined further comment at this time.
Kate Aurthur contributed to this report.
