Scandoval exposed! Tom Sandoval’s affair rocked Vanderpump Rules!
Scandoval rocked Vanderpump Rules in 2023. Learn about Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’s affair and its fallout. Read now!
Introduction
In March 2023, Vanderpump Rules fans were hit with a bombshell: Tom Sandoval, a show OG, cheated on his nine-year partner Ariana Madix with co-star Raquel Leviss. Dubbed “Scandoval,” this affair, which lasted seven months, became a cultural lightning rod, dominating headlines and X posts. Sources told PEOPLE Madix was “blindsided,” finding explicit videos on Sandoval’s phone.
The Vanderpump Rules Season 10 finale, watched by 2.1 million viewers, aired the raw confrontation. Scandoval’s fallout, from lawsuits to TomTom’s closure in 2024, shows how celebrity scandals grip audiences. X users in July 2025 still debate Sandoval’s past cheating, questioning why fans were shocked. This article unpacks Scandoval’s timeline, impact, and lessons for entertainment journalism, drawing from PEOPLE, Vulture, and more.
The Timeline of Scandoval: How It Unfolded
Scandoval’s seven-month affair was a web of secrecy. Here’s how it went down:
Summer 2022 Start: The affair began around August 2022, after a girls’ trip, per US Weekly. Sandoval and Leviss kissed at a See You Next Tuesday event at SUR, per his April 2023 Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast. Hiding early hookups risks leaks—castmates like Scheana Shay were clueless.
Key Moments: By December 2022, Leviss visited Sandoval’s hometown, per TMZ photos. They wore matching lightning bolt necklaces, spotted at BravoCon, per Glamour. Keeping secrets this long needs cover-ups, like using friends’ credit cards for hotels, per Madix on Call Her Daddy. Mistaking secrecy for loyalty can backfire, as seen in fan backlash.
Discovery and Breakup: Madix found explicit FaceTime videos on Sandoval’s phone March 1, 2023, per PEOPLE. She confronted Leviss, who admitted it started post-girls’ trip. Lying about timelines, as Sandoval did, fuels distrust. The affair’s public reveal via TMZ ended their nine-year relationship, with Madix moving out by May.
Consequences: Leviss entered a mental health facility in April 2023, per E! News. Sandoval faced fan hate, with $200,000 in “Team Ariana” merch sold, per OK Magazine. Misjudging public reaction, like Sandoval did, can tank a career, as seen in TomTom’s 2024 closure.
The timeline shows how secrecy unraveled, gripping fans and media.
Why Scandoval Mattered to Fans and Media
Scandoval wasn’t just gossip—it reshaped Vanderpump Rules and reality TV. Here’s why:
Fan Betrayal: Madix was a fan favorite, per TODAY.com’s podcast hosts. Leviss, her friend, and Sandoval, the “moral compass,” betrayed trust. X posts in 2025 call Sandoval’s cheating predictable, citing his past with Kristen Doute. Fans boycotted his bar, per Glamour, showing their power. Ignoring fan loyalty risks alienation.
Media Frenzy: CNN covered Scandoval, a rarity for reality TV, per Sandoval on Special Forces. His publicist called it unprecedented, per EW. Entertainment journalists must verify sources—TMZ broke the story, but unverified rumors can spread lies, like Shattered Glass’s fabrications.
Cultural Impact: The affair sparked “Team Ariana” merch and X hashtags, per OK Magazine. It showed reality TV’s grip on pop culture, with 2.1 million finale viewers, per Nielsen. Underestimating a scandal’s reach can leave journalists behind trends.
Scandoval’s emotional and media impact made it a defining 2023 moment.
Ethical Challenges in Covering Scandoval
Reporting Scandoval raised tough ethical questions for journalists. Here’s what mattered:
Privacy vs. Public Interest: Madix’s pain was public, but Leviss’s lawsuit claimed Sandoval recorded explicit videos without consent, per TODAY.com. Journalists must balance scoops with privacy—publishing unverified explicit content risks lawsuits, as seen in Leviss’s case.
Source Verification: TMZ’s March 2023 report relied on insiders, but unverified sources can mislead, like Shattered Glass’s fake stories. Cross-checking with cast statements, like Madix’s on Call Her Daddy, ensures accuracy. Failing to verify spreads rumors, damaging credibility.
Sensationalism Risks: PEOPLE noted Madix’s “devastated” state, but overhyping emotions can distort truth. X posts in 2025 still debate Sandoval’s motives, showing lasting impact. Sensational headlines grab clicks but erode trust if exaggerated.
Victim Blaming: Leviss faced death threats, per her Entertainment Tonight statement. Blaming her alone ignored Sandoval’s role. Journalists must report fairly—focusing only on one party, like The Bling Ring’s one-sided coverage, skews narratives.
Ethical reporting on Scandoval required care to avoid harm and lies.
The Role of Social Media in Amplifying Scandoval
Social media, especially X, turned Scandoval into a viral phenomenon. Here’s how:
Fan Reactions: X posts in March 2023, like James Kennedy’s “Hope you all feel as sick as I do,” fueled #Scandoval, per Glamour. Fans drove “Team Ariana” merch sales, per OK Magazine. Ignoring platforms like X risks missing audience sentiment.
Cast Amplification: Sandoval’s Instagram apologies, per PEOPLE, and Leviss’s Entertainment Tonight statement spread fast on X. Journalists must monitor social media for direct quotes, but unverified posts can mislead, as seen in She Said’s careful sourcing.
Real-Time Buzz: By July 2025, X users like @AngelDessyy questioned why fans were shocked, citing Sandoval’s cheating history. Tracking X trends, per Google Trends, keeps stories current. Missing real-time data leaves coverage stale.
Trolling Risks: Sandoval got “visceral hatred” on X, per EW. Amplifying toxic posts can harm subjects, like Leviss’s death threats. Journalists must filter noise to focus on facts, avoiding Shattered Glass-style sensationalism.
Social media made Scandoval a cultural juggernaut, demanding careful reporting.
Legal and Personal Fallout of Scandoval
Scandoval’s aftermath brought lawsuits and life changes. Here’s what happened:
Leviss’s Lawsuit: In February 2024, Leviss sued Sandoval and Madix, alleging Sandoval recorded explicit videos without consent, per TODAY.com. Madix distributed them, per court docs. Unverified leaks, like The Insider’s tobacco exposé, can escalate legal issues if mishandled.
Mental Health Struggles: Leviss spent 90 days in a mental health facility, per PEOPLE, citing codependency issues. Sandoval quit drinking to support her, per TODAY.com. Ignoring mental health in coverage risks insensitivity, as seen in The Bling Ring’s shallow reporting.
Career Impacts: Madix thrived, hosting Love Island USA and hitting Broadway, per PEOPLE. Sandoval’s TomTom closed in 2024, per Schwartz. Scandals can boost or sink careers—missteps like Sandoval’s alienate fans, unlike Spotlight’s heroic journalists.
Relationship Shifts: Leviss cut contact with Sandoval by August 2023, per PEOPLE. Madix moved on with Daniel Wai, per E! News. Misreporting personal lives, like unverified breakup rumors, confuses readers and fuels X speculation.
The fallout reshaped lives and demanded ethical journalism.
How Journalists Should Cover Celebrity Scandals
Covering scandals like Scandoval requires skill and caution. Here’s how to do it:
Verify Facts: Cross-check sources, like Madix’s Call Her Daddy claims of hotel cover-ups, with PEOPLE’s insider reports. Unverified stories, like Shattered Glass’s lies, ruin trust. Always confirm timelines and motives.
Balance Empathy and Truth: Highlight Madix’s pain and Leviss’s mental health struggles, per Entertainment Tonight, without bias. One-sided stories, like early TMZ reports, skew narratives and inflame X hate.
Avoid Sensationalism: CNN’s Scandoval coverage, per EW, was rare for reality TV. Focus on facts, like the affair’s seven-month timeline, not hype. Overblown headlines risk reader distrust, as seen in The Bling Ring’s Vanity Fair piece.
Monitor Social Media: X posts, like @AngelDessyy’s 2025 take, show ongoing fan debate. Use platforms for sentiment but verify claims. Ignoring X trends misses the story’s pulse, leaving journalists out of touch.
Good scandal coverage informs without exploiting or misleading.
FAQs
What was Scandoval?
Scandoval was Tom Sandoval’s seven-month affair with Raquel Leviss behind Ariana Madix’s back, revealed March 2023, per PEOPLE. It shook Vanderpump Rules, with 2.1 million finale viewers, per Nielsen. Madix found explicit videos, ending their nine-year relationship. Sensationalizing without facts risks misinformation, as seen in Shattered Glass.
How did Ariana Madix find out about the affair?
Madix discovered explicit FaceTime videos and texts on Sandoval’s phone March 1, 2023, per PEOPLE. Leviss admitted it started post-girls’ trip, per the Season 10 finale. Misreporting details, like unverified TMZ leaks, can distort truth and fuel X backlash.
Did Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss stay together?
No, they split by May 2023, per Page Six. Leviss cut contact after entering a mental health facility, per PEOPLE. Labeling their fling as love, as Sandoval did on Hot Mic, confused fans. Misjudging relationship status risks false narratives.
Why did Scandoval get so much attention?
Madix’s fanbase and the affair’s betrayal, per TODAY.com, drove CNN coverage, per EW. X hashtags and $200,000 in “Team Ariana” merch, per OK Magazine, amplified it. Underestimating fan loyalty, like Sandoval did, alienates audiences.
What legal issues arose from Scandoval?
Leviss sued Sandoval and Madix in 2024, alleging Sandoval recorded explicit videos without consent, per TODAY.com. Madix distributed them, per court docs. Mishandling sensitive leaks, like The Insider’s exposé, escalates legal and ethical risks for journalists.
How did Scandoval affect the cast’s careers?
Madix thrived, hosting Love Island USA, per PEOPLE. Sandoval’s TomTom closed in 2024, per Schwartz. Leviss left Vanderpump Rules, per Page Six. Scandals can boost or tank careers—missteps like Sandoval’s lose fan trust, unlike Spotlight’s principled reporting.
Conclusion
Scandoval, the 2023 Vanderpump Rules affair between Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss, was a reality TV earthquake. It ended Sandoval and Ariana Madix’s nine-year relationship, sparked lawsuits, and closed TomTom in 2024. With 2.1 million finale viewers and X posts still buzzing in July 2025, it showed how scandals grip fans and media. Journalists must verify facts, balance empathy, and avoid hype to cover such stories ethically. From Madix’s Love Island USA success to Leviss’s mental health journey, Scandoval reshaped lives. Want to weigh in? Share your take below!
