Tom Sandoval: Scandoval, Lawsuit, and Where He Is Now

The Scandoval affair — Tom Sandoval’s secret relationship with Raquel Leviss — shattered his relationship with Ariana Madix and sparked a cascade of legal battles that have kept Vanderpump Rules fans glued to their screens. From revenge-porn lawsuits to a short-lived invasion-of-privacy case and a two-year fight over a shared home, here’s what’s happened, what’s still in court, and where the cast stands now.

Born: July 7, 1983 ·
Occupation: Reality TV personality, restaurateur, musician ·
Known for: Vanderpump Rules (2013–present) ·
Relationship history: In a relationship with Ariana Madix (2014–2023)

Seven key facts sum up the man at the center of the Scandoval saga:

What has happened with Tom Sandoval?

The Scandoval Affair

• In March 2023, news broke that Tom Sandoval had been carrying on a secret affair with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss while still in a long-term relationship with Ariana Madix (Rolling Stone).
• The revelation, dubbed “Scandoval” by fans and media, caused an immediate and public split between Sandoval and Madix, who had been together since 2014 (Rolling Stone).

The affair didn’t just end a relationship — it triggered a cascade of legal filings that continue to this day.

Aftermath and Career Impact

• Sandoval remained on Vanderpump Rules, and the show’s season 10 reunion was filmed in the immediate aftermath of the scandal (Rolling Stone).
• He continued to pursue side projects, including his band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras and a restaurant venture (The Hollywood Reporter).

“In no way am I suing Ariana.”

— Tom Sandoval, via Instagram, July 2024 (People)

What did Tom Sandoval do to Ariana Madix?

The Cheating Scandal

• Sandoval had a secret affair with Raquel Leviss that lasted for months before being discovered by Madix (The Cut).
• The emotional impact on Madix was widely covered, and she later spoke about the betrayal and its aftermath (People).

The Lawsuit

• On July 17, 2024, Sandoval filed a civil lawsuit against Madix in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing her of invading his “right to privacy” by accessing his phone, viewing explicit FaceTime videos of him and Leviss, and sharing them with third parties (People).
• Within roughly 48 hours, Sandoval publicly dropped the lawsuit, fired his lawyer Matt Geragos, and insisted he never intended to sue Madix (People).
• He later claimed his legal team had not adequately explained the filing to him (Rolling Stone).

The implication: Sandoval’s legal maneuvering backfired, adding another twist to a scandal that already had more turns than a reality show cliffhanger.

Who is Tom Sandoval currently with?

Post-Scandoval Dating Life

• As of 2025, Tom Sandoval appears to be single, with no public relationship confirmed (Rolling Stone).
• Rumors of a brief connection with other cast members remain unsubstantiated.

The trade-off: staying single may be a strategic choice while legal cases are pending, but it also leaves him isolated from the cast’s social circle.

Is Tom Sandoval still friends with anyone from Vanderpump?

Friendship with Tom Schwartz

• Sandoval’s friendship with Tom Schwartz appears largely intact, with the two often seen together on the show and in public (Rolling Stone).

Strained relationships with other cast

• Fallout with Ariana Madix’s friends — including Katie Maloney, Scheana Shay, and Lala Kent — has been well documented (People).
• Attempts to reconcile have been limited; the cast remains largely divided along pro-Madix and pro-Sandoval lines.

The pattern: Sandoval’s support network within the show has shrunk to essentially one person — Tom Schwartz — while the rest of the cast has aligned with Madix.

Why was Tom suing Ariana?

Details of the Lawsuit

• Sandoval’s complaint alleged that Madix accessed his phone without authorization, copied private explicit recordings of Leviss, and sent portions of the footage to others (The Hollywood Reporter).
• He sought punitive damages on the grounds that Madix’s conduct showed “malice or fraud” (The Hollywood Reporter).

Current Status

• The lawsuit was dropped within 48 hours, and Sandoval publicly disavowed it (People).
• No further legal action has been taken by Sandoval against Madix on this matter.

What this means: Sandoval’s brief suit mirrored the very allegations Leviss had made against Madix — a move that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, seemed to copy Leviss’s own complaint. The quick retreat suggests the filing was a misstep, not a strategy. Coverage characterized the reversal as another twist in the Scandoval saga (IMDb).

Timeline of key events

• 2013 – Joined cast of Vanderpump Rules
• 2014 – Began relationship with Ariana Madix
• March 2023 – Affair with Raquel Leviss exposed
• May 2023 – Vanderpump Rules season 10 reunion filmed amid scandal
• January 2024 – Madix files partition-by-sale lawsuit over shared home (People)
• July 17, 2024 – Sandoval files invasion-of-privacy suit against Madix (People)
• July 18, 2024 – Sandoval drops the lawsuit and fires lawyer Matt Geragos (People)
• July 2024 – Judge rules Leviss’s revenge-porn claims against Madix can proceed (Rolling Stone)
• November 2025 – Trial scheduled in Leviss v. Sandoval & Madix (Rolling Stone)
• January 13, 2026 – Notice of settlement filed in home partition case (People)
• February 5, 2026 – Final status conference in home case (Page Six)
• March 2026 – Sandoval confirms house going on the market (People)
• August 2026 – Madix’s appeal to dismiss Leviss’s lawsuit denied (People)

Confirmed facts vs. what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

• Tom Sandoval had an affair with Raquel Leviss while in a relationship with Ariana Madix (People)
• Sandoval filed a lawsuit against Ariana Madix in 2024 (People)
• Sandoval continues to appear on Vanderpump Rules (Rolling Stone)
• Sandoval’s band is called Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras (Rolling Stone)
• Ariana Madix filed a partition-by-sale lawsuit in January 2024 (People)
• Madix’s appeal to dismiss Leviss’s suit was denied in August 2026 (People)

What’s still unclear

• Tom Sandoval’s current romantic partner
• Whether Sandoval is still friends with several cast members
• The outcome of the lawsuit (pending trial)
• Tom Sandoval’s net worth
• Whether Leviss’s revenge-porn claims will succeed at trial

Quotes from the key players

“In no way am I suing Ariana.”

— Tom Sandoval, Instagram statement after dropping the lawsuit (People)

“The core allegations against Madix — accessing Tom Sandoval’s phone, copying private explicit recordings of Leviss, and sending portions of the footage — were ‘unlawful’ and not protected speech.”

— Judge Daniel M. Crowley, July 2024 ruling (Rolling Stone)

“The house is finally going on the market. She’s taken her stuff out.”

— Tom Sandoval, on Watch What Happens Live, March 2026 (People)

“Madix’s own public statements — about accessing Sandoval’s phone and sending a ‘you are DEAD TO ME’ message to Leviss with video excerpts — were cited by Leviss’s legal team to support the revenge-porn claims.”

— Rolling Stone, early July 2024 (Rolling Stone)

For Sandoval, the legal and social fallout from Scandoval has created a narrow path forward: he remains on the show that made him famous, but his alliances have shrunk and his legal exposure is far from over. The November 2025 trial will determine whether the revenge-porn claims stick — and for the cast of Vanderpump Rules, the only certainty is that the drama isn’t leaving the air anytime soon.

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