Why Is Rachel Leviss Suing Vanderpump Stars Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for Revenge Porn?

It's time for more drama for Bravo reality stars and former couple Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval. Earlier this week, their previous castmate, Rachel Leviss (also known as Raquel Leviss) filed a civil complaint against Madix and Sandoval seeking damages and injunctive relief for revenge porn, eavesdropping, and invasion of privacy.

The news came as a shock to many “Vanderpump Rules” fans who are in disbelief that Leviss would name Madix as a defendant in the lawsuit. Especially after she betrayed Madix last year in a cheating scandal now dubbed “Scandoval.” Let’s talk about why Leviss decided to sue her former friend and whether or not she can win the case.

What Happened in Scandoval?

The reality TV world was left reeling in 2023 when news broke revealing Tom Sandoval's affair with his VPR costar Rachel Leviss. Leviss was also a close friend and confidante of Sandoval’s long-term girlfriend, Ariana Madix. The three of them starred on the reality show along with their other best friends and cast members Katie Maloney, Tom Schwartz, Lala Kent, James Kennedy, and Scheana Shay. The show also features their former boss, Lisa Vanderpump, also known for her OG status on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

At the time of the affair, Sandoval and Madix had been dating for nine years and shared a home together in Los Angeles. Leviss originally appeared on the show as Kennedy’s girlfriend and fiancé before joining the cast full-time during season nine. Leviss claims to have broken off her engagement to Kennedy before starting a romantic relationship with Sandoval. Kennedy (who has replaced Jax Taylor as the “number one guy in the group”) is now dating spiritual astrologer and model Ally Lewber. Don't worry Jax fans. You can still get a sneak peek at his marriage to Brittany Cartwright falling apart on his new show with another former VPR star, Kristen Doute.

Madix learned of the affair shortly after taping wrapped for season ten. Sandoval’s cell phone fell out of his pocket while he was performing onstage with his band in West Hollywood. A member of the audience found the phone and returned it to Madix who then discovered videos of Leviss performing sexually explicit acts. Across the country at almost the exact same time, Leviss was in New York filming “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen. News of the affair spread quickly, with #Scandoval appearing all over social media and news outlets throughout America. If it isn’t obvious, the hashtag is a clever play on Sandoval’s affair and last name.

As a result of the affair, Madix and her Vanderpump Rules costars ended their relationships with Sandoval and Leviss. "Vanderpump Rules season 11 recently debuted with everyone on the cast returning but Leviss. So far, the current season follows the aftermath of the affair and Sandoval’s attempts to make amends and reenter the friend group. Leviss completed a stint in rehab where she was working on her mental health and now hosts her own podcast "Rachel Goes Rogue." Although Leviss decided not to join the show this season, she certainly seems to enjoy talking about it every week on her podcast.

Why Is Leviss Suing Sandoval AND Madix?

The nineteen-page complaint accuses Madix of distributing sexually explicit videos of Leviss that were recorded by Sandoval without her knowledge or consent. Leviss is suing Madix for civil damages under California’s laws regarding revenge porn, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also blames Bravo and NBCUniversal for contributing to her distress but doesn’t name them as defendants. 

Revenge porn is the distribution of images or videos of another person engaged in sexual activity without their consent and intended to cause emotional distress. To prevail on revenge porn claims in California, Leviss must prove all of the following:

• Madix intentionally shared the videos without Leviss’ consent
• Madix knew Leviss reasonably expected the videos would remain private
• The videos show nudity or sexual acts
• Leviss suffered actual damages as a result of Madix’s actions

Next, to succeed on a claim of invasion of privacy in California, Leviss is required to prove:

• Madix viewing and sharing explicit videos of Leviss stored in Sandoval’s phone is an intentional intrusion upon a place Leviss had a reasonable expectation of privacy
• Madix’s intrusion would be highly offensive to a reasonable person
• Madix’s actions substantially contributed to causing harm to Leviss

Finally, to receive damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, Leviss needs to produce evidence of her distress including:

• Medical records showing her therapy sessions or diagnoses
• Statements from credible witnesses who saw her emotional state
• Entries in a personal journal documenting the emotions she experienced following Madix’s actions
• Changes in daily routines and social interactions

Can Madix Beat Leviss?

Madix can defend herself against Leviss’ claims by arguing that she did not intentionally distribute the videos. So far, there seems to be a lack of evidence that Madix sent the videos to anyone other than Leviss or otherwise made them public. According to Leviss, after discovering the videos, Madix texted them to her with the accompanying message “You’re dead to me.” The complaint accuses Madix of showing the videos to other people and/or describing the contents but only suspects Madix sent them to other individuals whose identities are unknown.

Additionally, Madix can dispute the claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress if she can establish:

• Her conduct was not outrageous or intentional
• Leviss did not actually suffer severe emotional distress
• The injuries Leviss claims were not foreseeable

Whatever the outcome of this case, Madix continues to win in the court of public opinion. While Leviss has gotten herself on Bravo’s blacklist with other scorned reality stars like Bethenny Frankel, Madix has moved on to bigger and better things. She placed third on “Dancing with the Stars” and recently made her Broadway debut starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago.

Related Resources

• Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix Split: Who Gets What When Unmarried Couples Split? (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
• Does Jen Shah Need a Power of Attorney in Jail? (FindLaw’s Legally Weird)
• Top Five Tips for ‘Revenge Porn’ Cases (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)