Rachel Leviss attends KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on Dec. 1, 2023 in Inglewood. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
Former star Rachel Leviss, whose once had an affair with fellow star Tom Sandoval on the Bravo show, sued him and his former girlfriend, Ariana Madix, on Thursday, alleging they produced and distributed revenge porn involving the plaintiff.
Leviss’ Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit also alleges eavesdropping, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages as was as a court order prohibiting further distribution of the images.
A representative for Madix, 38, — also a former “VR” cast member — and Sandoval, 40, could not be immediately reached.
“To be clear, Leviss has repeatedly acknowledged that her actions were morally objectionable and hurtful to Madix,” the suit states. “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.”
Raquel Leviss attends the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 15, 2019 in Santa Monica. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for MTV)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval and Brittany Cartwright Cauchi attend White Fox After Hours At Delilah Los Angeles on October 18, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CLD PR / White Fox)
Raquel Leviss attends the premiere of MTV’s “The Hills: New Beginnings” at Liaison on June 19, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Raquel Leviss attends the Quay x Chrissy Teigen launch event at The London West Hollywood on August 15, 2019 in West Hollywood. (Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Quay Australia)
Tom Sandoval, left, Ariana Madix, Scheana Marie, Raquel Leviss, and James Kennedy attend 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2018 Presented by Capital One at The Forum on Nov. 30, 2018, in Inglewood. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Raquel Leviss attends the Daily Mail Summer White Party with Lisa Vanderpump at Pump on July 27, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 21: Raquel Leviss attends the 4th annual Vanderpump Dog Foundation Gala at Taglyan Cultural Complex on November 21, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)
US television personality Raquel Leviss attends the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on February 12, 2022. (Photo by Michael Tran / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 30: Raquel Leviss attends the “Give Them Lala Beauty” party hosted by Lala Kent of “Vanderpump Rules” at Beauty & Essex on June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 30: Raquel Leviss attends the “Give Them Lala Beauty” party hosted by Lala Kent of “Vanderpump Rules” at Beauty & Essex on June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 30: Raquel Leviss attends the “Give Them Lala Beauty” party hosted by Lala Kent of “Vanderpump Rules” at Beauty & Essex on June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 30: Raquel Leviss attends the “Give Them Lala Beauty” party hosted by Lala Kent of “Vanderpump Rules” at Beauty & Essex on June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 07: (L-R) Raquel Leviss, Lisa Vanderpump, and James Kennedy arrive at the 5th Annual World Dog Day at West Hollywood Park on August 07, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 07: Raquel Leviss arrives at the 5th Annual World Dog Day at West Hollywood Park on August 07, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 07: Raquel Leviss arrives at the 5th Annual World Dog Day at West Hollywood Park on August 07, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 07: (L-R) James Kennedy and Raquel Leviss arrive at the 5th Annual World Dog Day at West Hollywood Park on August 07, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: Raquel Leviss at the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras performance at Hotel Cafe on November 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: Billie Lee, Jesse Montana, Raquel Leviss and Ariana Madix at the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras performance at Hotel Cafe on November 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss and Tom Schwartz at the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras performance at Hotel Cafe on November 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 30: Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss attend the “Vanderpump Rules” Party For LALA Beauty Hosted By Lala Kent at Beauty & Essex on June 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 12: Raquel Leviss attends the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival at Crypto.com Arena on February 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Bud Light)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Raquel Leviss attends Cirque du Soleil’s “OVO” Los Angeles Premiere at Microsoft Theater on March 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Raquel Leviss attends the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on March 22, 2022. Broadcasted live on FOX. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Raquel Leviss attends the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on March 22, 2022. Broadcasted live on FOX. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: Raquel Leviss attends the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on March 22, 2022. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 19: (L-R) Raquel Leviss and Scheana Schay attend DailyMail.com and TMX opening celebration of Schwartz & Sandy’s on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 19: Raquel Leviss attends DailyMail.com and TMX opening celebration of Schwartz & Sandy’s on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 19: (L-R) Raquel Leviss and Scheana Schay attend DailyMail.com and TMX opening celebration of Schwartz & Sandy’s on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 19: (L-R) Peter Madrigal, Lala Kent, Raquel Leviss, Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney-Schwartz, Scheana Schay, Brock Davies, James Kennedy and Ally Lewber attend DailyMail.com and TMX opening celebration of Schwartz & Sandy’s on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 19: (L-R) Raquel Leviss, Mercedes “MJ” Javid and Scheana Schay attend DailyMail.com and TMX opening celebration of Schwartz & Sandy’s on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: Raquel Leviss attends White Fox After Hours At Delilah Los Angeles on October 18, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CLD PR / White Fox)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval and Brittany Cartwright Cauchi attend White Fox After Hours At Delilah Los Angeles on October 18, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CLD PR / White Fox)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval and Brittany Cartwright Cauchi attend White Fox After Hours At Delilah Los Angeles on October 18, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CLD PR / White Fox)
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: (L-R) Elaine Ratner, Scheana Shay, Brittany Cartwright Cauchi, and Raquel Leviss attend White Fox After Hours at Delilah Los Angeles at Delilah on October 18, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for CLD PR / White Fox)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Rachel Leviss attends iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Rachel Leviss attends iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Rachel Leviss attends KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Rachel Leviss attends KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Rachel Leviss attends KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Rachel Leviss attends KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Rachel Leviss attends KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Rachel Leviss attends iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at The Kia Forum on December 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
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Raquel Leviss attends the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 15, 2019 in Santa Monica. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for MTV)
To make matters worse, Leviss was misled by Bravo and show producer Evolution Media into believing that she was contractually barred from speaking out about her mistreatment, the suit states.
“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,” according to the suit. “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 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,” the suit states.
Bravo and Evolution are not defendants in the suit.
The 29-year-old Leviss, who was “humiliated and villainized for public consumption,” is a shell of her former self, and both her career prospects and reputation have been damaged, the suit alleges.