Home / Arts and Entertainment / Court Rejects Ariana Madix's Bid to Dismiss Rachel Leviss Lawsuit
Court Rejects Ariana Madix's Bid to Dismiss Rachel Leviss Lawsuit
5 Aug
Summary
- Appeals court denied Ariana Madix's attempt to dismiss the lawsuit.
- Rachel Leviss claims Madix shared private videos from Sandoval's phone.
- The court ruled the affair's public nature doesn't legitimize video distribution.
An appeals court has determined that Rachel Leviss's revenge porn lawsuit against Ariana Madix can proceed. Madix had sought to have the case dismissed early, arguing her actions were protected by free speech because the Scandoval affair was a public spectacle. However, the California Court of Appeal disagreed, stating that the public nature of the affair did not render private sexual videos public.
Leviss's core allegation is that Madix accessed and copied videos from Tom Sandoval's phone. These videos reportedly depicted Leviss in a state of undress. Leviss claims Madix then distributed these videos to others. The judges emphasized that their ruling does not confirm the truth of Leviss's allegations or that Madix shared the videos with anyone other than Leviss.
Leviss initiated legal action against both Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix in 2024. Her lawsuit includes claims of revenge porn, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The public became aware of the affair and the subsequent split between Sandoval and Madix in March 2023, when it was reported that Madix discovered intimate messages and videos on Sandoval's phone.
