Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix’s Breakup, Defined

Picture Supply: Getty / Todd Williamson / Bravo

The Bravo world was rocked on March 3 when “Vanderpump Guidelines” stars Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix cut up after 9 years collectively. Within the aftermath, quite a few retailers reported that their cut up was prompted by the revelation that Sandoval cheated on Madix with their costar Raquel Leviss in a months-long affair. Dozens of Bravo stars appeared to verify the information on social media, together with producer Andy Cohen, who tweeted out a siren emoji after which requested, “What number of components is just too many components for the #pumprules reunion???” POPSUGAR reached out to reps for Sandoval, Madix, and Leviss for touch upon the allegations however didn’t obtain responses.

The web has since been ablaze with Bravo followers making an attempt to determine what precisely occurred between the three stars. On March 8, Sandoval and Leviss each launched statements apologizing to Madix for his or her roles within the scenario. Now, over every week later, Madix has launched a press release about her breakup and the aftermath. For those who’re not a Bravo head, or are muddy on the main points, this is a full timeline of the drama, together with the most recent statements on the difficulty.

Who Are Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, and Raquel Leviss?

Sandoval, Madix, and Leviss are all forged members of “Vanderpump Guidelines.” Sandoval and Madix met and have become associates once they labored as bartenders at eating places owned by former “Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Lisa Vanderpump earlier than the present started filming. Sandoval was a forged member when the primary season premiered in 2013, whereas Madix joined for season two the next 12 months. Sandoval’s greatest good friend is fellow forged member Tom Schwartz, with whom he is began two eating places: TomTom With Vanderpump, and Schwartz and Sandy’s totally on their very own. Schwartz cut up from his spouse, castmate Katie Maloney, in early 2022.

Leviss, in the meantime, was first launched in season 5 because the girlfriend of forged member James Kennedy. The pair obtained engaged in Could 2021 after 5 years collectively. (Sandoval even helped Kennedy plan and pay for the over-the-top proposal.) Nonetheless, the couple finally cut up that December.

In the course of the summer time of 2022 (and as filmed for the present, which is presently airing on Bravo), there have been rumors that Leviss was hooking up with Schwartz and that their attraction got here to a head on the wedding ceremony of forged member Scheana Shay in late August. For the reason that present premiered, Leviss has stated that it was OK for her to be concerned with Schwartz regardless of Maloney’s needs as a result of she and Maloney weren’t associates. Shay and Leviss appeared collectively on the March 3 episode of the “Chicks within the Workplace” podcast (which was launched earlier than information broke), and Leviss stated, “Ariana [and Scheana] had been those that basically embraced me into this group and have been there for me since day one, so I do know who my true associates are.”

How Lengthy Have been Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix Collectively?

Sandoval and Madix started courting in 2014. They purchased a home collectively in Valley Village, in Los Angeles, in 2019.

Did Tom Sandoval Cheat on Ariana Madix With Raquel Leviss?

On March 3, TMZ broke the information that Sandoval and Madix had cut up amid allegations of dishonest involving Leviss and that “Vanderpump Guidelines” was filming the fallout. Different retailers rapidly confirmed the information, as did a few of their “Pump Guidelines” costars on Instagram, together with Kennedy and Lala Kent. Madix reportedly came upon in regards to the affair on Wednesday when she noticed Sandoval’s telephone and his texts with Leviss.

Sources advised Individuals that the affair had been happening for six months. Throughout that point, Leviss continued to play up rumors that she was concerned with Schwartz. She wore a TomTom sweatshirt to BravoCon in October, and when Maloney accused her of being a “fangirl,” she wrote on Instagram that she largely wore it to be cozy and added, “I additionally wore it to assist BOTH of the Toms.” She included #NumberOneTomStan.

Weeks later, Sandoval dressed as Leviss within the sweatshirt for Halloween, as Leviss memorialized in her Halloween Instagram spotlight.

What Has Tom Sandoval Stated Concerning the Affair?

Sandoval posted a press release on his Instagram on March 4, asking that folks not direct their anger towards Schwartz, who he says knew nothing about his actions till not too long ago. He additionally requested that folks not take their frustration out on their restaurant Schwartz and Sandy’s. “Hey, I absolutely perceive and deserve ur anger and disappointment in the direction of me, however please depart Schwartz my family and friends out of this case,” he wrote. “Schwartz particularly solely came upon about this very not too long ago, and most positively didn’t condone my actions.”

“This was a really private factor,” Sandoval continued. “Schwartz & Sandy’s might need my title on it, but in addition there are 3 different companions and 20 staff, who particularly depend on the restaurant for earnings for them and their households. Identical to TomTom, I am a small a part of a a lot greater factor. Please direct ur anger in the direction of me and never them. They did nothing unsuitable.”

Sandoval went on to apologize to his companions who “need to endure for my actions.” He added that he can be stepping away from the eating places for now “out of respect for my staff & companions.” He concluded his publish, “I want a while to handle every little thing else. Sorry for every little thing.” Sandoval didn’t point out Madix in that assertion.

Hours earlier, Schwartz and Sandy’s additionally posted a press release on Instagram asking folks to be type to the employees there who had “nothing to do with this unlucky scenario.” The assertion additionally referred to as Madix “a very good good friend and an ideal supporter of the restaurant.” Schwartz has not commented, however on Saturday followers posted pictures of him on the restaurant greeting company.

On March 8, Sandoval posted a brand new assertion to his Instagram web page, writing, “I wish to initially apologize to everybody I’ve harm via this course of. Most of all, I wish to apologize to Ariana. I made errors, I used to be egocentric, and made reckless selections that harm any person I really like. Nobody deserves to really feel that ache so traumatically and publicly.”

He continued, “I can solely think about how devastating this has been for Ariana and everybody round us. I really feel actually horrible about that. My largest remorse is that I dishonored Ariana. I by no means meant to disappoint so many individuals, together with out loving household and associates.”

He then appeared to handle “Vanderpump Guidelines” viewers, writing, “My love for Ariana was robust than any digital camera ever may have captured. A few of our greatest time collectively had been by no means filmed. The identical goes for a few of our largest struggles. I want issues occurred in a unique order and our relationship was not severely tarnished, and that it ended with the identical respect for her that it started with. I owed Ariana higher.”

He concluded, “I’m past unhappy that it ended the way in which it did. The alternatives I made harm so many individuals. I acted in a approach that clashes with who and the way I wish to be. I’ll mirror and work on myself. I’ve work to do. I at all times have, and I at all times will.”

Picture Supply: Getty / Charles Sykes / Bravo

What Has Raquel Leviss Stated Concerning the Affair?

Leviss launched a press release to “Leisure Tonight” on March 8, which started together with her writing, “I wish to apologize for my actions and my decisions foremost to Ariana, and to my associates and the followers so invested in {our relationships}. There isn’t any excuse, I’m not a sufferer and I need to personal my actions and I deeply remorse hurting Ariana.”

She continued, “I’m reflecting on my decisions, chatting with a counselor and I’m studying issues about myself equivalent to my patterns of codependency and dependancy to being and feeling beloved. I’ve sought emotional validation via intimate connections that aren’t wholesome with out regard for my very own well-being, typically negatively affecting others and sometimes prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I’m taking steps to grasp my conduct and make more healthy decisions.”

The assertion went on, “Though I selected to be on a actuality present accepting the nice and dangerous that comes with it, past my very own actions I’ve been bodily assaulted, misplaced friendships, obtained demise threats and hate emails along with having had my privateness violated.”

Leviss concluded, “I’ve begun counseling to finish my unhealthy behavioral cycle, study to set stronger emotional boundaries and study to guard my psychological well being. I do not anticipate sympathy, understanding or forgiveness. Proper now I need to focus alone well being and well-being and as I try to be a greater individual transferring ahead, I’ll prioritize my psychological well being and study from my errors.”

Leviss’s assertion got here a day after it was reported by TMZ that her attorneys had despatched letters to the “Vanderpump Guidelines” forged saying that the video on Sandoval’s telephone that Madix discovered was recorded with out her permission and that everybody who had the video ought to delete it. That very same day, Leviss additionally served Shay with a restraining order, as confirmed by Individuals, although the explanation for the order is unknown (although Leviss claims in her assertion that she was bodily assaulted and doesn’t title the individual).

In a March 9 assertion to POPSUGAR, Shay’s lawyer, Neama Rahmani, responded to the submitting saying, “This case is a fabrication by a recognized liar and a cheat who has betrayed everybody near her. Scheana by no means punched Rachel, interval. The supposed darkish markings round her left eye have been there for months. Neither Scheana nor different forged members need something to do with Rachel going ahead. The decide has solely heard a one-sided account of what occurred, and we look ahead to presenting the total and true story on the March 29 listening to.”

In the meantime on March 9, Leviss addressed hypothesis in regards to the standing of her relationship with Sandoval in an Instagram publish amid rumors that the pair deliberate to proceed their scandalous romance. Wrote Leviss, “In addition to the indefensible circumstances surrounding our relationship, my emotions for Tom have at all times been honest and born out of a loving friendship. Understanding how many individuals we harm, I want to grasp my decisions and study to make higher ones. I have to handle my well being, work on self development and take time to be happy with being alone.”

Concluded Leviss, “I look after Tom and I do not wish to label something or predict what lies forward. Proper now I have to heal.”

What Has Ariana Madix Stated About Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval’s Affair?

Within the early hours of March 16, Madix took to Instagram and shared a photograph of herself in a protracted pink and inexperienced robe. She started the caption, “hello. the place to start?”

She continued, “i wish to specific my most honest gratitude for the outpouring of affection and assist i’ve obtained from associates, household, and folks i’ve by no means even met within the final two weeks. when i’ve felt like i could not even stand, you all have given me the energy to proceed and seen me via my darkest hours. to say i’ve been devastated and damaged is an understatement. nevertheless, i do know that i’m not on this alone. so lots of my closest associates are additionally grieving this loss proper now and reeling from this betrayal on so many ranges. i’m so f*cking fortunate to have the perfect assist system on the planet and that i hope i can repay each single individual for the love you’ve got proven me.”

She concluded, “what would not kill me higher run,” and signed off, “love, ariana.”

Earlier than Madix spoke out, her good friend (and Sandoval’s ex-girlfriend) Kristen Doute posted a video on Instagram on March 3 of the pair hugging. Doute assured followers that Madix was not alone, and her associates had been there supporting her.

Her brother, Jeremy Madix, additionally commented on Kennedy’s since-deleted Instagram publish in regards to the information on the time, writing, “It is humorous to observe folks social climb and be soooooooo faux that they are prepared to sh*t on folks which might be alleged to be their ‘greatest good friend’ (a time period that will get thrown round fairly often round right here) all simply to return up or have some kind of story line,” in keeping with Us Weekly.

What Has Sandoval’s Greatest Buddy, Tom Schwartz, Stated Concerning the Affair?

On March 11, Schwartz — Sandoval’s greatest good friend and enterprise associate — broke his silence in regards to the affair. TMZ caught up with the restaurateur on the LAX airport the place he gave an replace on how his associate is doing. “[Sandoval’s] OK, I believe. Comparatively talking, I imply, he has a way of profound unhappiness, rightfully so, that he is a bit of sh*t. And to some extent, perhaps he’s,” Schwartz stated. “However he is aware of he f*cked up, and the entire thing is simply actually unhappy.”

He went on to specific his hope that Madix is surrounded by associates and is transferring ahead. “Fortunately, Ariana has a very good assist system, and he or she’s together with her associates,” he continued. “I hope she’s residing a very good life, simply indulging. Hope she goes on a residing spree. I am simply hoping this complete factor blows over.”

Schwartz went on to say he hasn’t been in touch with Leviss since information of the scandal broke, and he denied publicly kissing her to cowl up the affair for his good friend. “It is f*cking difficult. That is the understatement of the 12 months. I believe Tom’s OK,” he stated. “Actually, I am simply unhappy in regards to the detrimental influence it is having on our enterprise, however I believe cooler heads will prevail, and I am simply gonna carry on holding on.”

Will the Dishonest Drama Be A part of “Vanderpump Guidelines” Season 10?

The “Vanderpump Guidelines” cameras are again on and filming the fallout of the dishonest allegations, and that footage can be included on the finish of the season, which is presently airing. A number of forged members have posted pictures of themselves filming speaking heads for brand spanking new episodes, and there are quite a few rumors about scenes filmed between Madix and Sandoval and Leviss and Sandoval.

On March 10, Bravo confirmed Madix’s good friend Kristen Doute can be returning to the sequence after she was fired in 2020 for a racist prank she pulled on her then-costar Religion Stowers. Her return comes after the truth TV star posted her supportive Instagram for Madix, which suggests she’ll be wading into the controversy that Bravo followers have dubbed “Scandoval.”

Moreover, Schwartz confirmed to TMZ that the messy scenario would unfold in entrance of the cameras. When requested when he came upon in regards to the affair, he stated, “You may see it play out on the present.”

The present has but to movie the season’s reunion, which, in keeping with Cohen on his March 6 radio present, is scheduled to happen in two weeks. Nonetheless, it isn’t clear how the restraining order in opposition to Shay will have an effect on filming, which usually entails your entire forged collectively in a single room.

— Further reporting by Victoria Edel