Ariana Madix Loses Appeal in Rachel Leviss Revenge Porn Lawsuit

Ariana Madix has lost her appeal in Rachel Leviss’ revenge porn lawsuit, allowing the case to move forward.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Leviss sued Madix following the fallout from her affair with Tom Sandoval, alleging Madix accessed explicit videos of her from Sandoval’s phone without permission, recorded them, and shared them with others.

Madix argued that she only sent the videos back to Leviss and did not publicly distribute them, contending the case involved a matter of public interest. However, a Los Angeles judge rejected the appeal, ruling that Madix failed to show the claims were protected under constitutional free speech provisions.

Leviss’s lawsuit further alleges the explicit content was shared with additional individuals, including people working for Bravo, claims that Madix disputes.

The legal battle stems from the highly publicized "Scandoval" controversy in March 2023, when Sandoval’s affair with Leviss ended his nearly nine-year relationship with Madix. The scandal dominated headlines and became one of the biggest storylines in Vanderpump Rules history.

The lawsuit remains ongoing, with the court’s latest ruling clearing the way for Leviss’s claims against Madix to proceed.