A judge has denied Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix’s attempt to exit a revenge porn lawsuit filed against her by co-star Raquel Leviss. The ruling, issued by Los Angeles County Judge Daniel M. Crowley, states that Madix’s constitutional right to free speech does not protect her alleged illegal actions. Leviss claims that Madix accessed her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval’s phone without consent, made copies of intimate FaceTime recordings featuring Leviss, and sent snippets of the video to Leviss with a threatening text message.
The judge’s ruling highlights Madix’s own admissions in the case, including her acknowledgment of accessing Sandoval’s phone by locking herself in a bathroom stall. This evidence suggests a lack of consent from Sandoval to obtain the explicit video of Leviss. Judge Crowley emphasized that the alleged conduct is illegal and therefore not protected by the First Amendment.
Leviss’ lawyer, Bryan Freedman, hailed the ruling as a significant victory for his client. He stated that Madix’s actions went beyond protected speech and violated multiple criminal laws. Madix’s legal team plans to release a statement regarding the ruling at a later time.
Sandoval, who is also a co-defendant in the lawsuit, previously challenged the complaint but was unsuccessful. Leviss accused Sandoval of surreptitiously recording her during a clandestine affair while he was still in a domestic relationship with Madix. The lawsuit alleges that Madix distributed or described the sexually explicit videos obtained from Sandoval’s phone to other Vanderpump Rules cast members and individuals associated with the Bravo show.
The trial for Leviss’ lawsuit against both Sandoval and Madix is scheduled for November 2025. Leviss claims to have suffered emotional, psychological, financial, and reputational harm due to the alleged actions of Sandoval and Madix. She seeks punitive damages to deter such behavior in the future.
Leviss’ lawsuit also sheds light on the circumstances surrounding the video’s discovery. Madix claims to have found the recording on Sandoval’s phone after it fell out of his pocket while he was performing with his cover band. She accessed the phone using the known passcode and recorded the FaceTime video. Madix states that she was unaware of Leviss and Sandoval’s affair prior to finding the video.
Leviss questions the credibility of Madix’s account and alleges that Madix shared the videos with others. Leviss describes feeling humiliated and villainized by the actions of Sandoval and Madix, whom she accuses of acting with malice. Leviss further claims that she sought treatment at a mental health facility while the scandal unfolded on the show.
The lawsuit suggests that Sandoval and Madix had incentives to leverage the affair into a storyline for Vanderpump Rules, which was reportedly on the verge of cancellation at the time. Leviss alleges that she was encouraged by producers to consume alcohol while filming and believes Madix was aware of the affair before discovering the video.
