Rachel Leviss has been granted the right to continue suing her ex, Tom Sandoval, and former best friend, Ariana Madix, for alleged revenge porn. Sandoval had tried to have the lawsuit dismissed, claiming that Leviss was trying to extend her fame and rebrand herself as a victim. However, a Los Angeles judge ruled that Leviss could pursue her claims of eavesdropping and invasion of privacy under California’s Invasion of Privacy Act.
In her lawsuit, Leviss claimed that Sandoval recorded private video calls without her consent and that Madix was involved in distributing these videos to others. Madix denied these claims and called the lawsuit an abuse of the legal process. Despite Madix’s denial, the judge found that Leviss had a valid cause of action for intrusion upon seclusion against Sandoval, as she alleged that he had violated her privacy and recorded intimate conversations without her knowledge or consent.
While the judge allowed Leviss to move forward with her invasion of privacy claim, they did not fully support her claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. The judge noted that Leviss had not shown that Sandoval’s conduct was intended to cause her harm or that he had distributed the videos to others. The judge also stated that Leviss needed to substantiate her claims of emotional distress within 20 days by amending her complaint.
Leviss first brought forth her allegations in February, which became public in March and led to Sandoval’s breakup with Madix after nearly 10 years together. The affair also ended Leviss and Madix’s friendship, with Madix referring to Leviss as a “f-king rat.” Leviss believes that Madix played a role in distributing the private videos, though Madix continues to deny these claims and views the lawsuit as an attempt to blame her for Leviss’ negative public reaction.
Despite the judge’s ruling in Leviss’ favor regarding the invasion of privacy claim, there are still uncertainties surrounding the intentional infliction of emotional distress claim. Leviss will need to provide further evidence to support her claims within the given timeframe. This ongoing legal battle sheds light on the complexities of privacy violations and emotional distress in cases involving intimate relationships and personal recordings. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for future cases involving similar allegations.
