‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cheating Scandal Timeline

The Bravo world has been turned upside down, and it’s all thanks to yet another Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal. This time, it concerns Tom Sandoval, his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix, and their mutual friend and co-star Raquel Leviss. It was reported that Sandoval engaged in a months-long affair with Leviss, which ultimately led to his split from Madix. 

There have been numerous updates about this drama, which has been dubbed “Scandoval,” since the news first broke. To keep you up to date, PopCulture.com has compiled all of the information that has been released about the latest Vanderpump Rules saga. So, raise your glasses high and buckle up for a wild ride. 

News Breaks

On Friday (March 3), multiple outlets reported that Sandoval and Madix called it quits after nearly ten years together. However, the more shocking part of the story is that the pair broke up after Sandoval cheated on Madix with Leviss, their mutual friend and Vanderpump Rules co-star. The news was all the more surprising given that Leviss has been linked with Tom Schwartz, Sandoval’s best friend, business partner, and fellow co-star. The current season of Vanderpump Rules heavily focuses on Leviss and Schwartz’s relationship, which has also led to problems since they both got out of relationships with two other members of their friend group, James Kennedy and Katie Maloney, respectively. 

A Full-On Affair

If you watch Vanderpump Rules, you would know that the show has dealt with a variety of cheating scandals over the years. Unlike the cheating scandals of the past, which seemed to involve hookups, it was reported that Sandoval and Leviss’ relationship was an affair that lasted months. The pair’s relationship allegedly began around July, which, coincidentally, is around when the current season was filmed. They reportedly have feelings for one another and want to pursue an actual relationship. 

Tom Addresses The Crowd

Hours after the news first broke, Sandoval performed with his band, The Most Extras, in Los Angeles. Naturally, there were many in the crowd who booed and spoke out during the course of the performance. At one point, the concert-goers even began to chat Madix’s name, to which Sandoval responded, “We love her.”

Scheana Allegedly Punches Raquel

Somehow, this saga gets wilder with each and every update. Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay, who is best friends with Madix, appeared on Watch What Happens Live on Wednesday along with Leviss. On the same day, Madix reportedly found out about the affair after she discovered a NSFW video on Sandoval’s phone of Leviss. She allegedly confronted Leviss, who was in NYC for WWHL, over text and then reached out to Shay since she knew that she was with her in the Big Apple. After finding out about the affair, Shay allegedly hit Leviss. While there are conflicting reports on the validity of this altercation, Leviss’ sister did appear to confirm that she was “punched in the face.”

Sandoval Speaks Out

A day after the scandal went public, Sandoval released a statement on his social media. However, fans couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t address Madix anywhere in his statement. Instead, he urged Vanderpump Rules fans to respect his business, Schwartz & Sandy’s, which has been targeted by those incensed by this whole cheating drama. 

“I’m so sorry that my partners, Greg, Brett, and Schwartz and our employees have to suffer for my actions,” he wrote. “I will be taking a step back [and] taking a hiatus out of respect for my employees [and] partners. I need some time to address everything else. Sorry for everything.”

The Cast Speaks Out

It wasn’t before long that multiple members of the cast spoke out about the news. Kennedy, Leviss’ ex-fiancé, had more than a few passionate things to say about the Scandoval on Instagram. Fellow cast member Lala Kent didn’t mince words as she opened up about the drama. 

Cast Members React Pt. 2

Everyone from current cast members (such as Maloney and Charli Burnett) to former stars (Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute) have addressed the drama. Lisa Vanderpump herself even responded to Andy Cohen’s tweets about the subject, and it’s clear she’s not thrilled about what went down. Vanderpump is set to be Cohen’s special guest on Wednesday night’s episode of Watch What Happens Live to discuss the situation. 

Back to Filming

Even though they previously wrapped Season 10, Bravo decided to bring the cameras back to catch all of the fallout. Cohen confirmed as much on Monday on Andy Cohen Live. He told listeners, “You may have heard rumors that the cameras were up over the weekend. Yup, the cameras have been up on everyone getting reactions and filming. You will see this play out in a sense this season of Vanderpump Rules, before the reunion.” Later that same day, the official Bravo Instagram account posted an image of Kennedy back filming a confessional for the additional episode, which appears to be titled “Scandoval.”

Struck By Lightning

More and more information has emerged about Sandoval and Leviss’ apparent affair. One of the more outrageous reports revolves around the secret code that they had for one another. Since their relationship was under wraps, they allegedly wore matching lightning bolt necklaces as a symbol of their love. 

Halloween Scaries

Based on the established timeline, Sandoval and Leviss were engaged in their affair during Halloween. Fans have recently pointed out that during Halloween, Leviss donned a matching costume with Madix. Furthermore, Sandoval dressed up as Leviss for Halloween. Yes, really. 

The Status of Sandoval and Raquel’s Relationship?

Neither Sandoval nor Leviss has publicly addressed the state of their relationship just yet. But, TMZ did report that Sandoval visited Leviss’ place late night on Saturday. Additionally, Cohen said on his radio show that as far as he is aware, the two Vanderpump Rules stars are together, per Page Six. He added that he does expect both Leviss and Sandoval to appear at the show’s reunion, which reportedly films in two weeks.