Ariana Madix Finally Addresses Tom Sandoval's Lawsuit Confusion
Ariana Madix has broken her silence regarding the legal turmoil with ex-Tom Sandoval, US Weekly reported. The ordeal began when Sandoval, 41, initially filed a lawsuit against Madix, 39, accusing her of accessing and distributing explicit videos of Rachel "Raquel" Leviss from his phone without consent. However, Sandoval quickly withdrew the suit and dismissed his lawyer, stating he had no intention of suing Madix.
Appearing on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen," Madix described the situation as a "really bad day" but gave no further comment on the issue. Host Andy Cohen pushed for more details, but Madix kept her response brief.
The lawsuit, initially filed in July, stemmed from Sandoval’s claim that Madix accessed his phone in March 2023 and shared videos without permission. This legal move was part of the fallout from Leviss' earlier suit against both Sandoval and Madix for revenge porn, eavesdropping, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress.
Madix's attorney, Jordan Susman, condemned Sandoval's actions, accusing him of attempting to escape responsibility and further tormenting Madix. Susman highlighted the shared privileges between Sandoval and Madix regarding their communication devices and criticized Sandoval's justification for the suit.
Following public backlash and likely criticism from co-stars, Sandoval clarified his stance. In a statement on Instagram, he attributed his lawyer Matt Geragos’ advice as the driving force behind the lawsuit, calling it a customary and preventative measure. Despite Geragos' defense that the legal action was necessary to ensure fair liability distribution, Sandoval confessed he should have been more diligent and has since removed Geragos from his legal team.
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