Tom Sandoval Responds to Raquel Leviss as She Defends Suing Ariana Madix for Her 'Illegal' Deeds

The Vanderpump Rules alums are yet again at it! Raquel Leviss recently addressed her choice to take legal action against Ariana Madix, characterizing Madix's behavior as "illegal" and expressing disapproval of the reality show for exploiting her circumstances as a recurring narrative. 

Adding to the complexity, Leviss has alleged that her ex, Tom Sandoval, secretly recorded an intimate video during their relationship—while he was still involved with Madix—without her consent. She is taking legal action against Sandoval for recording her without permission and Madix for allegedly distributing it. During an episode of her podcast Raquel Goes Rogue, Leviss delved into the intricate considerations influencing her decision to pursue legal action against Madix. The reality star acknowledged her deed by stating, "Choosing to take legal action was not something I chose lightly."

Leviss also confessed, "What I did was not morally right, but recording and distributing a video is also not right… One is illegal. So that’s hard." Leviss expressed frustration with being drawn into Vanderpump Rules' storyline against her preferences. She feels the show still includes her despite opting out of active participation. "If she actually really does wanna move on, maybe she should stop talking about me every week. Stop talking about the show," Sandoval responded. Furthermore, he said, "You know what, I take that back. Girl’s gotta eat, you know what I mean, she’s gotta make some money."

During the Vanderpump Rules After Show, Sandoval criticized Bethenny Frankel's three-part podcast series with Leviss, labeling it as "rich and ironic." He pointed out what he saw as Frankel's exploitation of Leviss' situation for the podcast, despite Frankel discussing Leviss' exploitation on the show. During her interview on Bethenny Frankel's podcast, Leviss made several statements that caused a furor. She characterized her relationship with Leviss, aged 38, as more akin to "acquaintances" than "friends."

Leviss also insinuated that Sandoval was "rewarded" by Vanderpump Rules amid the scandal surrounding their affair and acknowledged that being caught was necessary for the affair to come to an end. Now distancing herself from Vanderpump Rules, which premiered its 11th season in January, Leviss has embarked on her own podcast journey with Rachel Goes Rogue. While many viewed it as a fleeting romance, for Sandoval, his involvement with the reality show co-star Leviss represented a genuine connection. The Bravo reality star recently admitted to cheating on his girlfriend of nine years with castmate, Scandoval.

"I think it was, all of it, I really do. [I and Leviss] spent a ridiculous amount of time ... It’s embarrassing to say ... but we spent so much time together, talking and getting to know each other.  We knew everything about each other. It was a very safe, accepting place and very positive in a lot of ways," he said per PEOPLE.