The cheating scandal that rocked “Vanderpump Rules” is now being taken to court.
Rachel Leviss has filed a lawsuit against Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for eavesdropping, revenge porn, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Leviss, who had been a cast member on the show, had a secret romantic relationship with Sandoval during Season 10 of the show, despite him dating fellow cast member Madix. Sandoval and Madix returned for the show’s current Season 11, while Leviss has 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 sexually explicit video of the duo was discussed in the previous season of “Vanderpump Rules” as the catalyst of the explosive Scandoval, as Madix said she accidentally saw the video on Sandoval’s phone, alerting her to the scandal.
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.”
