Former “Vanderpump Rules” Cast Member Rachel Leviss Files Lawsuit Against Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for Revenge Porn, Invasion of Privacy, and Emotional Distress
On March 30, 2023, former “Vanderpump Rules” cast member Rachel Leviss filed a lawsuit against two of her co-stars, Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix, in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The complaint alleges several claims, including revenge porn, invasion of privacy, eavesdropping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Victim of Predatory Behavior: The Scandal
According to the complaint obtained by various media outlets, Leviss is the “victim of the predatory and dishonest behavior of an older man” who recorded sexually explicit videos of her without her knowledge or consent. Sandoval, as the older man in question, allegedly possesses multiple illicitly recorded videos that depict Leviss “in a state of undress and engaged in sex acts.”
Distribution of Illicitly Recorded Videos: The Defendants
The complaint further alleges that Madix obtained “at least two” of the videos and then distributed or showed them to others without Leviss’s knowledge or consent. This alleged distribution occurred despite the fact that Leviss was subjected to a gag order imposed by the show’s producing network, Bravo, and Evolution Media, which prevented her from publicly defending herself.
The Scandal’s Impact: Severe Emotional Distress and Humiliation
As a result of the scandal, Leviss has reportedly suffered “severe emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, anxiety, shock, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliation, powerlessness, sleeplessness, and loss of enjoyment of life.”
Seeking Compensatory and Punitive Damages: The Lawsuit
Leviss is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a request for the defendants to destroy and delete the alleged videos. The lawsuit marks a significant turn in the saga that began when Madix discovered an intimate Website video integration of Leviss on Sandoval’s phone, leading to the revelation of their seven-month secret affair.
Coverage on Bravo and Reactions from Legal Teams
The highly publicized scandal has been a prominent storyline on the current airing of Season 11 of “Vanderpump Rules.” Leviss left the show after Season 10. CNN reached out to representatives for Leviss, Madix, Sandoval, Bravo, NBCUniversal, and third-party production company Evolution Media for comment but did not receive any responses from them at the time of publication.
Legal Teams’ Statements: A Matter of Illegal Behavior
“The idea that human beings are expected to sacrifice their mental and emotional health in service of Bravo’s ratings is obscene,” said Bryan Freedman, an attorney on Leviss’s legal team. “While coming forward can be terrifying and even embarrassing, I implore people not to suffer in silence.”
“This lawsuit is squarely about illegal behavior and those who traffic in it and enable it,” Mark Geragos, another attorney on Leviss’s legal team, said in a statement. “Rachel has apologized for her part in an affair.”
The First Court Hearing: July 7, 2023
The first court hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. This development underscores the gravity of the situation and marks an important step towards addressing the alleged illegal behavior and seeking justice for Leviss.
