Ariana Madix 'heartbroken' after close friend Raquel Leviss' 'full-on affair' with longtime boyfriend Tom Sandoval
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA: Ariana Madix, star of 'Vanderpump Rules,' is upset by her split from Tom Sandoval due to the cheating scandal involving Raquel Leviss. Madix, 37, is "heartbroken" after discovering that her longtime boyfriend and her close friend have "communicated inappropriately for months."
Madix and Sandoval, 39, have been "affectionate in public recently," so she had "no idea there were any issues" in their relationship, as per an insider. "Ariana was blindsided by the cheating," the insider continues. Madix "has been hanging out with Raquel recently" and "was there for her" after Leviss, 28, called off her engagement to James Kennedy in December 2022, reports Page Six.
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'Betrayed by her friend'
Madix and Sandoval had been dating since 2013. According to sources, Madix feels "betrayed by her friend," Leviss. She "found out" about the pair's "full-on affair" on Wednesday at a concert featuring Sandoval's band, reports Page Six.
After the news surfaced, Ariana deleted her social media accounts, but her brother, Jeremy Madix, criticized Sandoval and Leviss in a comment on Leviss' ex-fiance James Kennedy's Instagram post. Jeremy criticized commenting people who, "social climb and [are] sooooo fake that they’re willing to s–t on people that are supposed to be their ‘best friend.'"
He also referred to Sandoval as a "try hard having a midlife crisis with his cringey band" and stated that Leviss "has faked her way to the top trying to make something of her life willing to step on whoever to get there starting with James."
'Vanderpump Rules' dating history
After joining Bravo's 'Vanderpump Rules,' Sandoval and Madix soon found themselves at the center of controversy. Sandoval's turbulent relationship with Kristen Doute served as the audience's first exposure to his love life. Sandoval started dating Madix later that year after his off-screen breakup.
Doute, on the other hand, was outspoken about how she felt about her ex-new boyfriend's relationship. In a later interview, Madix said she didn't have many regrets about how she handled the bombshell while the cameras were rolling. After mending their issues with Doute, Madix and Sandoval settled into their relationship. The 'Paradise City' actress admitted that she was having mental health issues while she was a cast member of 'Vanderpump Rules,' despite the fact that they are a happy couple.
Madix has previously used the show's platform to talk about issues including her bisexuality and depression. Sandoval praised Madix at the time for speaking out about her problems and letting people see how she copes with depression.
In March 2023, the couple separated after nine years of togetherness due to Sandoval's affair with co-star Raquel Leviss, reports Us. The couple "were having problems for a while" before reaching their "breaking point," a source said.