"Vanderpump Rules" Revenge Porn: Rachel Leviss Sues Tom Sandoval & Ariana Madix Over Scandoval Fallout

If you thought the blast radius from Vanderpump Rules� infamous �Scandoval�
was contained, think again. In a blistering lawsuit filed Thursday in Los
Angeles, Rachel Leviss is taking Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix to court for
claims of revenge porn, eavesdropping, invasion of privacy and intentional
infliction of emotional distress.

And she�s pretty clear why.

��Scandoval� captured the public�s attention in a massive way, went
completely viral, and injected new life into Vanderpump Rules,� declares the
jury trial-seeking complaint filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court (read
it here). �It also 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.�

While Bravo, NBCUniversal, Andy Cohen and other Vanderpump producers are not
named in this latest legal action arising from the Real Housewives franchise,
they are named all over it.

At the same time, as the behind-the-scenes machinations of the unscripted
world is coming under increased scrutiny, and even as Leviss is centering her
ire on Sandoval and Madix in seeking unspecified damages, the Bryan Freedman-
and Mark Geragos-represented ex-VR star wants all copies of a NSFW Facetime
video involving her and Sandoval destroyed, and an injunction to shut down
anyone ever seeing it again � and that�s on NBCUniversal�s Bravo and
producers Amazon MGM Studios� Evolution Media.

�It is clear that Bravo deliberately sacrificed Leviss for the sake of its
commercial interests from its refusal to allow her the opportunity to tell
her side of the story and defend herself, which she repeatedly begged for
permission to do,� Leviss� filing reads.

The 19-page complaint adds that what you saw on TV in VR�s 10th season may
not have been all that was really going on:

Plaintiff Rachel Leviss is a former cast member on Vanderpump Rules,
a reality television show produced by Evolution Media (�Evolution�)
and broadcast by Bravo Media (�Bravo�), an asset of NBCUniversal
(�NBC�) (together with Bravo, �Bravo�). This case arises from a
scandal of epic proportions starting in March 2023. Stemming from an
affair between Leviss and another cast member, Tom Sandoval,
�Scandoval��as it came to be known�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.

To be clear, Leviss has repeatedly acknowledged that her actions were
morally objectionable and deeply hurtful to Madix. She has offered
numerous apologies. There is more to the story, however. Lost in the
mix was that 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. Leviss ultimately checked herself
into a mental health facility and remained there for three months
while Bravo, Evolution, and the cast milked the interest her
excoriation had peaked.

To make matters worse, 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. Meanwhile, Leviss, who was humiliated and villainized
for public consumption, remains a shell of her former self, with her
career prospects stunted and her reputation in tatters.

For those of you who missed it, �Scandoval� started when Sandoval, who was
recently on the cover of the New York Times Magazine, cheated on his then-
girlfriend Madix with one of her closest pals Leviss.

That�s pretty standard unscripted fare.

However, fueled in no small part by an explicit video involving Leviss that
Sandoval seemingly secretly taped and supposedly circulated, Scandoval blew
up last year right as Vanderpump Rules� 10th season was airing on Bravo.
Madix found out about the affair from a so-called accidental look at
Sandoval�s phone, and then all unscripted hell broke loose.

The fallout spilled over from Season 10 of VR to the currently airing Season
11 and has been the topic of a number of reunion specials. Not appearing
herself in VR Season 11 so far, Leviss discussed the matter on Bethenny
Frankel�s podcast last summer. In addition, claiming that the video was �done
illegally without Raquel�s knowledge or consent,� lawyers for Leviss sent
cease-and-desist letter to the concerned parties last year that the video
constituted a violation of California law in regard to �nonconsensual
pornography.�

In an environment that Frankel has called the �reality reckoning� about the
way shows like Real Housewives, Vanderpump Rules and various spinoffs are
made, today�s lawsuit is the natural next step for Leviss.

Bravo is not a defendant in this case, at least not yet, but being that the
outlet is mentioned all over the lawsuit, Deadline reached out to the NBCU-
owned channel about Leviss� action. They did not immediately respond, but it
and when they do this post will be updated.

A familiar face on cable TV as well as the courtroom, Geragos had more to say
about Leviss� suit and the larger picture of reality TV today.

�This lawsuit is squarely about illegal behavior and those who traffic in it
and enable it,� the attorney told Deadline today. �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.�

�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,� Geragos added.

Representing Frankel, Brandi Glanville and other unscripted stars in a
growing pushback against strict NDAs and alleged behind-the-scenes
manipulations, Freedman also had something to say about today�s filing and
the Bravoverse.

�For decades, a great deal of my life has been devoted to mental health
treatment and recovery and helping others on that path,� the powerhouse
lawyer said. �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. 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.�

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Let's go Brandon!