‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Rachel Leviss Sues Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for ‘Revenge Porn’

Former “Vanderpump Rules” star Rachel Leviss filed a lawsuit Thursday against Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for eavesdropping, revenge porn, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Leviss (formerly known as Raquel) seeks unspecified damages in a jury trial per the lawsuit obtained by TheWrap. It alleges that Bravo and Amazon MGM Studios’ Evolution Media encouraged Madix and Sandoval’s behavior.

“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 woman seeking vengeance, catalyzing the scandal,” the lawsuit reads.

“For decades, a great deal of my life has been devoted to mental health treatment and recovery and helping others on that path. I’m outraged that NBC and Bravo have used illegal NDAs as cudgels to profit off their employees. The idea that human beings are expected to sacrifice their mental and emotional health in service of Bravo’s ratings is obscene,” Leviss’ attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement to TheWrap. “Many of their employees are suffering in silence due to brazen and calculated actions by NBC and Bravo. Hundreds of reality TV participants have reached out to Mark Geragos and myself, and we are committed to ensuring that they have zealous advocates to confront the damage these employers have wreaked on their lives. While coming forward can be terrifying and even embarrassing, I implore people not to suffer in silence. Reach out to my firm or Mark’s firm, and we will help you get the help you need.”

“This lawsuit is squarely about illegal behavior and those who traffic in it and enable it. Rachel has apologized for her part in an affair. That’s not a crime. Tom and Ariana are alleged here to have engaged in criminal acts. They then doubled down and used those actions to shame, bully, belittle and intentionally try to destroy Rachel’s mental health,” her attorney Mark Geragos added. “The law makes it clear that recording someone without their consent and distributing that illegal recording is punishable by law; however, doing so while knowingly enticing them to engage in sexual acts deserves the harshest of penalties allowable under the law.”

TheWrap has reached out to lawyers for Madix and Sandoval for further comment.

The former Bravo star had a secret romantic relationship with Sandoval during Season 10 of their reality television show. As seen on TV, when Madix inadvertently found a sexually explicit video of Sandoval and Leviss on his phone, she became aware that he was cheating on her, and thus the Scandoval was born. The affair ended Sandoval and Madix’s nine-year relationship and Leviss has not returned for Season 11 of “Vanderpump Rules.”

“‘Scandoval’ captured the public’s attention in a massive way, went completely viral, and injected new life into ‘Vanderpump Rules,’” the LA Superior Court complaint says. “It also caused mayhem in Leviss’ 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.”

This suit follows other recent allegations against NBCUniversal and its networks, including lawsuits from former “Real Housewives” stars Brandi Glanville and Caroline Manzo. The media conglomerate and its subsidiaries stand accused of a “pattern and practice of grotesque and depraved mistreatment” of the cast and crews of their reality shows, as described by a letter sent to NBCU’s legal team by attorneys Freedman and Geragos in August 2023.

Deadline was first to report this news.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

The post ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Rachel Leviss Sues Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for ‘Revenge Porn’ appeared first on TheWrap.