'Scandoval,' Explained: All About the Cheating Scandal That Changed “Vanderpump Rules” Forever

Whether you're a Bravo fan, a societal media scroller aliases moreover conscionable mildly online, you've apt heard nan building "Scandoval."

In March 2023, news collapsed that Vanderpump Rules prima Tom Sandoval had been having an affair pinch his costar Raquel Leviss, contempt being successful a astir nine-year relationship pinch his woman Ariana Madix. At nan time, sources told PEOPLE that Madix was "completely blindsided," and that "devastated doesn't moreover scratch nan aboveground of really she feels."

The show's play 10 finale aired 2 months later, including a segment successful which nan now-Love Island USA host explained to her friends Katie Maloney and Scheana Shay really she recovered retired Sandoval had cheated connected her — and revealed that nan matter had been going connected for 7 months.

Sandoval and Leviss later opened up astir nan months-long matter and apologized but it wasn't quickly forgotten. Since nan cheating play made headlines, Sandoval has mostly been associated pinch nan scandal, arsenic it was mentioned during his stint connected Peacock's The Traitors, arsenic good arsenic his audition for America's Got Talent that premiered connected June 24.

Ahead of his audition, he admitted to nan cameras, "A mates of years ago, I made immoderate really bad choices. I was progressive successful a very bad cheating scandal, and I fto down a batch of people. It beautiful overmuch destroyed my life."

From really Ariana Madix recovered retired astir nan matter to what Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss said successful response, here's everything to cognize astir nan Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal.

Who are Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix and Raquel Leviss?

Sandoval joined nan Vanderpump Rules formed erstwhile nan show premiered connected Bravo successful January 2013. He went from bartender astatine SUR to co-owner of TomTom, which he operated pinch Ken Todd, Lisa Vanderpump and Tom Schwartz earlier it closed successful November 2024. He's besides progressive successful a men's cosmetics venture, acts and is nan lead vocalist of nan screen set Tom Sandoval & nan Most Extras.

In November 2013, Madix joined nan Vanderpump Rules formed for play 2. Prior to that, she worked arsenic a bartender astatine Vanderpump's Beverly Hills edifice Villa Blanca earlier she was transferred to SUR. There, she became co-workers and castmates pinch nan Vanderpump Rules crew.

Outside of nan reality show, she holds respective movie acting credits to her name. (In nan months aft nan scandal, Madix went connected to make her Broadway debut successful Chicago, spot successful 3rd connected Dancing pinch nan Stars play 32 and become host of nan deed Peacock making love show, Love Island USA.)

Leviss first appeared connected Vanderpump Rules erstwhile Kennedy introduced her arsenic his woman during a play 5 section successful November 2016. The 2 revealed they exchanged rings arsenic filming for play 9 began successful May 2021. However, 2 months aft their connection aired successful October 2021, they announced they had split.

When did Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix commencement dating?

While it's unclear precisely erstwhile Sandoval and Madix first met during their clip serving drinks astatine Villa Blanca, viewers first saw them connect erstwhile she joined nan play 2 formed of Vanderpump Rules during nan summertime of 2013.

The brace later confirmed their narration astatine nan Vanderpump Rules play 2 reunion successful 2014. Earlier successful nan season, Sandoval's then-girlfriend Kristen Doute accused him of cheating connected her pinch Madix, which some Sandoval and Madix denied — though they did yet admit they'd shared a kiss.

Did Tom Sandoval cheat connected Ariana Madix?

A root told PEOPLE that Madix recovered retired astir Sandoval's matter pinch Leviss successful early March 2023. "They had been having problems for a while, but this was nan last straw for Ariana," nan insider said. "She put up pinch a batch complete nan years, but she won't beryllium backmost and beryllium disrespected this way."

"This has been going connected for upwards of six months — each nan while, Tom [Sandoval] was sleeping adjacent to Ariana successful bed," 1 insider told PEOPLE astatine nan time, though Madix later confirmed it to beryllium 7 months. "She was wholly blindsided by this; devastated doesn't moreover scratch nan aboveground of really she feels."

"This is personification she thought she knew; personification she planned to walk nan remainder of her life with. You can't moreover put into words that betrayal," nan root added. In nan months that followed, Vanderpump Rules formed members confirmed nan affair.

In nan play 10 finale episode, Madix reveals that nan matter betwixt Sandoval and Leviss had been going connected for 7 months, opening "right aft nan girls trip" to Las Vegas successful August 2022 astir nan clip Madix's canine Charlotte died.

Meanwhile, eagle-eyed fans person pointed retired connected TikTok that Sandoval and Leviss had been wearing matching lightning bolt necklaces. In October 2022, Leviss was pictured sporting nan concatenation astatine BravoCon, while Sandoval was seen wearing nan necklace astatine nan House of Barrie opening, arsenic good arsenic astatine nan Vanderpump Rules play 10 premiere successful February 2023.

How did Ariana Madix find retired astir Tom Sandoval's matter pinch Raquel Leviss?

Prior to Madix revealing really she recovered retired astir Sandoval cheating connected her pinch Leviss, sources told PEOPLE that Madix first learned of nan matter connected March 1, 2023, erstwhile she supported Sandoval and his set during a capacity successful Los Angeles.

According to nan source, Madix discovered a video that was intersexual successful quality betwixt Leviss and Sandoval connected his telephone arsenic good arsenic a "history of inappropriate texts." A 2nd root told PEOPLE that Madix "thought" she and Leviss "were friends," adding, "This isn't thing you do to a friend."

In nan play 10 finale episode, Madix opened up further astir really she learned of nan matter during a speech pinch friends Maloney and Shay, beginning, "I went pinch Tom to Tom Tom because he had that statement thing."

"I recovered a surface signaling of them connected FaceTime," Madix said of Sandoval and Leviss. "It was virtually from nan nighttime before. He was astatine [Tom] Schwartz's." From there, Madix explained that she confronted Leviss straight to get answers.

"I called Raquel and I started like, making her like, f------ show maine what nan f---? When did this start?" Madix continued. "She said, 'Right aft nan girls trip,' " astir nan clip Madix's canine Charlotte died.

"She said they kissed," Madix said of Leviss' broadside of nan story. "Well, later that nighttime erstwhile we were retired here, I pressed Tom [Schwartz]. And he said, well, they really f----- successful her car that night. And he didn't person a cardinal to get successful truthful he had to ringing nan doorbell and I had to fto him in," Madix continued.

"My emotions were intelligibly each complete nan spot and he was angry astatine me. Angry. At me!" Madix concluded.

Did Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix break up?

In March 2023, PEOPLE confirmed that Sandoval and Madix collapsed up aft astir 9 years together. According to a source, Sandoval's matter pinch Leviss allegedly led to nan split.

"They had been having problems for a while, but this was nan last straw for Ariana," nan insider said. "She put up pinch a batch complete nan years, but she won't beryllium backmost and beryllium disrespected this way."

Despite their split, a rep for Sandoval told PEOPLE that they were still surviving together successful their shared L.A. home, fixed that "they ain nan location together and what happens adjacent pinch nan spot will return clip to benignant out."

By May 2023, Madix had moved retired of nan home, contempt still being a co-owner.

In January 2024, PEOPLE obtained tribunal documents that showed nan erstwhile mates disagreed connected nan waste of nan home, and Madix was reportedly hoping that they would sell it arsenic a "partition by sale," meaning they would divided nan proceeds.

The pursuing month, Sandoval responded to Madix's suit by alleging that she "fails to authorities capable facts to authorities a origin of action," and truthful he would beryllium denying her petition for "partition."

During a May 2025 quality connected Watch What Happens Live pinch Andy Cohen, Madix confirmed that they had agreed to waste nan shared home, though Sandoval still lives successful it.

"That is ongoing, but hopefully wrapping up soon," she said.

Has Tom Sandoval publically commented connected nan cheating allegations?

One time aft news of nan ungraded made headlines, Sandoval broke his silence connected nan affair. He shared a connection connected Instagram astir his divided from Madix, asking fans to nonstop their anger distant from his loved ones, including castmate, friend and business partner Schwartz.

"Hey, I afloat understand and merit ur anger and disappointment towards me, but please time off Schwartz my friends and family retired of this situation…," Sandoval wrote, noting that Schwartz "specifically only recovered retired astir this very recently, and astir decidedly did not condone my actions."

"This was a very individual thing," Sandoval stated.

He besides asked fans to easiness up connected nan antagonistic comments being blasted connected his barroom and cocktail lounges, TomTom and Schwartz & Sandy's.

"Schwartz & Sandy's mightiness person my sanction connected it, but besides location are 3 different partners and 20 employees, who particularly trust connected nan edifice for income for them and their families," he said. "Just for illustration TomTom, I'm a mini portion of a overmuch bigger thing. Please nonstop ur anger towards maine and not them. They did thing wrong."

Sandoval went connected to apologize to his partners and his labor who "have to suffer for my actions," adding that he will beryllium removing himself temporarily from nan businesses.

"I will beryllium taking a measurement backmost & taking a hiatus retired of respect for my labor & partners," he said. "I request immoderate clip to reside everything else." He signed nan note: "Sorry for everything."

In November 2024, Schwartz announced to PEOPLE that TomTom was closing its doors.

“Unfortunately, nan existent ambiance for this business is beautiful rough,” he said. “Recovering from each nan negativity post-scandal wasn’t easy, and nan slimmer margins post-COVID made it moreover harder to bounce back. There’s not a batch of room for correction successful nan restaurant/bar business.”

Did Tom Sandoval apologize to Ariana Madix?

Less than a week aft Madix learned of her then-boyfriend's matter pinch Leviss, Sandoval issued an apology to her via Instagram. He addressed nan extremity of their nine-year agelong narration successful a statement.

"I want to first and foremost apologize to everyone I've wounded done this process," he began. "Most of all, I want to apologize to Ariana. I made mistakes, I was selfish, and made reckless decisions that wounded personification I love. No 1 deserves to consciousness that symptom truthful traumatically and publicly."

He continued: "I tin only ideate really devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone astir us. I consciousness really horrible astir that. My biggest regret is that I dishonored Ariana. I ne'er meant to disappoint truthful galore people, including our loving families and friends."

Sandoval went connected to bespeak connected his agelong narration pinch Madix. "My emotion for Ariana was stronger than immoderate camera could ever person captured," he said. "Some of our champion times together were ne'er filmed. The aforesaid goes for immoderate of our biggest struggles. I wish things happened successful a different bid and our narration was not severely tarnished, and that it ended pinch nan aforesaid respect for her that it began with. I owed Ariana better."

"I americium beyond sad that it ended nan measurement it did," his connection concluded. "The choices I made wounded truthful galore people. I acted successful a measurement that clashes pinch who and really I want to be. I will proceed to bespeak and activity connected myself. I person activity to do. I ever have, and I ever will."

Has Raquel Leviss commented connected nan cheating allegations?

In a connection issued to Entertainment Tonight connected March 8, 2023, Leviss addressed nan months-long matter pinch Sandoval for nan first time. She began pinch an apology.

"I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and nan fans truthful invested successful our relationships," Leviss said. "There is nary excuse, I americium not a unfortunate and I must ain my actions and I profoundly regret hurting Ariana."

"I americium reflecting connected my choices, speaking to a counsellor and I americium learning things astir myself specified arsenic my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and emotion loved," she continued. "I person sought affectional validation done friendly connections that are not patient without respect for my ain well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing nan friendly relationship complete my friendships."

Leviss added that she is "taking steps to understand my behaviour and make healthier choices."

"Although I chose to beryllium connected a reality show accepting nan bully and bad that comes pinch it, beyond my ain actions I person been physically assaulted, mislaid friendships, received decease threats and dislike emails successful summation to having had my privateness violated," she continued. "I person begun counseling to extremity my unhealthy behavioral cycle, study to group stronger affectional boundaries and study to protect my intelligence health. I don't expect sympathy, knowing aliases forgiveness."

Leviss added, "Right now I must attraction connected my ain wellness and well-being and arsenic I strive to beryllium a amended personification moving forward, I will prioritize my intelligence wellness and study from my mistakes."

Did Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval day aft nan scandal?

In March 2023, 1 week aft their months-long matter was made public, Leviss opened up to PEOPLE astir nan position of her narration pinch Sandoval. Amid nan fallout, Leviss said that she doesn't "want to explanation anything" pinch her Vanderpump Rules costar.

"Besides nan indefensible circumstances surrounding our relationship, my feelings for Tom person ever been sincere and calved retired of a loving friendship," she told PEOPLE. "Knowing really galore group we hurt, I request to understand my choices and study to make amended ones."

"I request to return attraction of my health, activity connected aforesaid maturation and return clip to beryllium good pinch being alone," Leviss continued. "I attraction for Tom and I don't want to explanation thing aliases foretell what lies ahead. Right now I request to heal."

Months later, sources told The Messenger successful May 2023 that Leviss and Sandoval are "no longer seeing each other." One root said that nan Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras frontman has been "struggling" amidst nan chaos.

"His relationships pinch everyone correct now are connected nan backmost burner, and he's focusing connected his music," nan root said. "He's astir to move 40 and trying his champion to move distant from each of this, but he's struggling astatine times. Like anyone trying to amended themselves, it's 1 time astatine a time."

Was nan cheating ungraded featured connected Vanderpump Rules play 10?

Season 10 has included nan matter drama, arsenic an insider shared pinch PEOPLE arsenic nan news of nan ungraded collapsed that "cameras are rolling correct now." A accumulation root besides shared that Bravo and accumulation institution Evolution began filming again to travel nan fallout of nan cheating scandal.

That aforesaid day, costar Kennedy (who was engaged to Leviss) posted a screenshot of nan first article astir nan cheating scandal, commenting, "Hope you each consciousness arsenic sick arsenic I do. This explains everything."

As each section aired, viewers saw nan play unfold, including nan cast's interactions. Notably, successful nan May 10 episode, it seemed arsenic though Sandoval and Leviss teamed up to spot uncertainty wrong Madix's mind earlier news of their matter broke.

The play finale later uncovered further specifications astir nan affair, including really Madix learned it was happening and what she did astir it.

What was said astir nan matter during nan Vanderpump Rules reunion special?

Andy Cohen confirmed that nan Vanderpump Rules reunion would statesman taping little than 2 weeks aft news of nan matter broke. In anticipation of what was expected to spell down erstwhile taping commenced connected March 23, 2023, he said that he was "girding my loins."

The time aft nan typical wrapped tapping, Cohen teased nan drama successful a video posted to his Instagram Stories. "Well, that was that really confrontational," he told nan camera. "It was really emotional. Nothing was near unsaid."

The three-part reunion typical first premiered successful May 2023, during which Cohen dove correct into nan "Scandoval" play and opened nan first portion pinch one-on-one conversations pinch Madix, Sandoval and Leviss.

“It benignant of feels for illustration you're nan astir hated man connected tv correct now,” he told Sandoval.

Throughout nan typical episodes, several bombshells came to nan surface, from Sandoval's liking successful Leviss making love backmost to early 2022 to nan truth that his champion friend and business partner, Schwartz, had known astir nan matter since August 2022.

During portion 3 of nan reunion successful June 2023, Leviss yet joined her castmates and came face-to-face pinch Madix.

Madix past called Leviss retired for her “diabolical, demented, disgusting, subhuman” role successful nan affair, to which nan erstwhile pageant queen admitted to it being "impossible to move distant from" because she was successful love.

In nan last minutes of nan episode, Leviss sat down for a solo question and reply and admitted to "lying and [being] truthful diplomatic this full time," earlier revealing respective caller specifications astir her and Sandoval's affair.

Not only did she uncover she had projected to Sandoval and suggested they adhd Madix arsenic an "addition" to their relationship, she besides clarified that nan matter had been going connected longer than primitively disclosed — and that Sandoval "asked [her] to not disclose each this information."

The reality prima past seemingly confirmed that she and Tom had activity successful his and Madix's location while she was retired of municipality for her grandmother's funeral.

"I cognize that nan logic why Tom wanted to dishonesty astir is because it's a really bad look to hook up pinch someone's fellow successful their ain house, erstwhile they've gone retired of town. Especially for a ceremonial of each things," Leviss said. "I americium truthful sick of lying. I dislike it. I dislike being deceitful. It's horrible."