Rachel Leviss did not return to Season 11 of Vanderpump Rules to share her story. And no amount of coaxing from Lala Kent’s phony phone calls could change her mind. After being thoroughly ripped to a pulp at the Season 10 reunion for her part in Scandoval, the Bravo star decided to take a path less traveled: the higher road.
Rachel Leviss’ lawsuit
In February 2024, Rachel filed a lawsuit via Page Six claiming that the fallout from Scandoval “caused mayhem in Leviss’s life, culminating in months-long in-patient treatment at a mental health facility and her departure from the show. Fomented by Bravo and Evolution in conjunction with the cast, Leviss was subjected to a public skewering with little precedent and became, without exaggeration, one of the most hated women in America.”
The former model decided to sue Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for revenge porn, eavesdropping, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy. Viewers learned that Tom had betrayed Rachel’s trust when he recorded an intimate moment they shared on FaceTime. Rachel was masturbating for the singer but wasn’t aware she was being recorded.
At the time, she told Bethenny Frankel, “When Tom and I were filming at my apartment after filming got picked back up, I said to Tom, ‘How can I trust you? You filmed me without my consent.’ And he admitted to it. But then, after that scene wrapped, he said, ‘Why did you say that? Why did you say that on camera? You made me look bad. And I was like, ‘Well because that’s what happened.’”
Ariana and Tom respond to allegations
In April 2024, Ariana filed a declaration citing California’s anti-SLAPP law, which protects against frivolous lawsuits. Ariana shared how she first learned of the affair, noting she found the video of Rachel masturbating on Tom’s phone. Ariana states in the documents that she made a copy of the video but never shared it. The Vanderpump Rules star then confronted Tom, who claimed he had deleted his copy. Ariana wrote, “I did not send the videos to anyone else. Nor did I share, display, or show the videos to anyone else. To be clear, I only saw the video of plaintiff masturbating in places secluded from others.”
Tom also filed a motion asking that parts of Rachel’s lawsuit be stricken. The singer’s lawyers wrote, “These videos were created by Leviss and published by Leviss to Sandoval via a consensual exchange on Facetime, i.e., ‘their video calls. Based on Leviss’ own allegations, Sandoval merely saved private copies of the videos that Leviss had filmed and shared with him.”
Update: Tom and Ariana counter revenge porn lawsuit
Ariana and Tom had been waiting to hear about their motion for months. And the news was not in their favor. Ariana had hoped she could have Rachel’s legal action thrown out under the First Amendment. However, LA Superior Court Judge Daniel Crowley sided with Rachel via Court House News. In his response, he wrote, “Madix’s conduct is not protected under the anti-SLAPP statute because the alleged conduct was illegal as a matter of law.” The case of Scandoval now goes to court on November 3, 2025.
Judge Crowley wrote, “Plaintiff has conclusively demonstrated Madix’s conduct alleged in the three causes of action was illegal. Therefore, Defendant cannot meet her burden to make a prima facie showing that Plaintiff’s suit arises from any act of [defendant] in furtherance of the defendant’s right of petition or free speech under the United States or California Constitution in connection with a public issue because the alleged conduct is illegal and, therefore, not protected by the First Amendment or the anti-SLAPP statute.”
Tom gets trigger-happy
In an even bigger turn of events, Tom is now suing Ariana. Literally the biggest turd in the universe. According to Us Weekly, Tom sued Ariana for accessing his private videos. On July 16, Tom filed a lawsuit claiming Ariana “obtained access” to Sandy’s phone on March 1, 2023, “and reviewed videos of Sandoval and Leviss without his authorization or permission.” Tom also claims that Ariana “made copies” and sent them to “Leviss and third parties.”
Shortly after Sandy filed, Ariana’s attorney replied to the outlet, saying, “It is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. From engaging in an illicit affair that shattered her home and stability to months of emotional warfare and now this attempt to further shirk personal responsibility for the effects his actions have had on her and her emotional well-being. Tom Sandoval knows full well what sort of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their personal communication devices.”
Needless to say, this nonscripted reality TV show is really heating up. I feel like Ariana will want to break more than Sandy’s stupid penis flute at this rate. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that cameras will be in the courtroom in November.
TELL US — DO YOU THINK THE JUDGE MADE A GOOD CALL?
