The Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal, explained

“This is our JFK assassination.” “This is our Watergate.” The people who made these declarations were not talking about a breaking piece of political news. They’re talking about the breakup of Vanderpump RulesAriana Madix, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix are the stars. I, personally, have been comparing it to Ned Stark’s death plusRed Wedding plusBecause it’s too significant, shocking and life-altering, the JFK Assassination cannot be compared with any other event.

Vanderpump Rules It is an offshoot of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills that set out to follow the lives of Lisa Vanderpump’s employees at her restaurant SUR (Sexy Unique Restaurant). Over the course of the show’s 10 seasons, SUR employees have gained fame and moved on from their jobs waitressing, hosting, and bartending, but not from the show. You can feel the magic in VanderpumpIt has been a fact that the core cast was good friends since before the series began. They were close friends, which was evident in the drama. Here’s the latest Vanderpump The most scandalous is yet to come.

Sandoval and Ariana’s breakup would have been big news to the Vanderpump community regardless, but it was the revelation that the split was sparked by Sandoval’s affair with co-star Raquel Leviss that left fans in full meltdown mode, theorizing, gathering clues from old footage and Instagram photos, and investigating every detail of the so-dubbed Scandoval. In the aftermath of the split, the chaos created by fans was so overwhelming that it reached beyond the Bravo bubble. Many people were left wondering about who they are and what the significance of the Scandoval.

With nearly 200 episodes and a decade’s worth of hookups, breakups, and feuds making up Vanderpump lore, trying to understand Scandoval without a guide is a challenge I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy (who just so happens at this time to be Tom Sandoval). I am your guide through this breakup and affair which has shaken the reality TV industry to its core.

Meet the players

Photo credit to Todd Williamson/Bravo

Tom Sandoval A unique Vanderpump cast member who was in a nine-year relationship with co-star Ariana Madix — until the first week of March. He is best friends and business partners with Tom Schwartz, with whom he co-owns the bars Schwartz & Sandy’s and TomTom. He’s also the lead singer and financier of Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras, a pitchy cover band.

Ariana Madix: Sandoval’s former girlfriend joined Vanderpump Rumours circulated that Sandoval had cheated with Kristen Doute, his co-star and longtime girlfriend. They reaffirmed their relationship at the second reunion in 2014. Ariana was always a lover. VPR Fan favorite. Loved for his voice and groundedness, despite taking sketch comedy seriously at times.

Raquel Leviss: A former pageant girl who was introduced in season 5 as the girlfriend of cast member James Kennedy, who used to date Sandoval’s ex, Kristen. After a lavish, $25,000 proposal, Sandoval financed the engagement, they got married on May 20, 2021. James and Raquel split in December 2021. The couple announced their decision during the season 9 reunion.

Tom Schwartz: Sandoval’s best friend and the former husband of co-star Katie Maloney. Katie sought a divorce from Schwartz in March 2022 after twelve years of marriage. In August 2022, Schwartz and Raquel made out at co-star Scheana Shay’s wedding, creating a rift in the cast that played out publicly in the months leading up to the show’s season 10 premiere and throughout the currently airing episodes.

What happened then?

TMZ reported on March 3 that Sandoval had split with Ariana after discovering he was cheating with Raquel. According to reports, Ariana had been in attendance at one of Sandoval’s shows on March 1 when she discovered an explicit video of Raquel and inappropriate messages on Sandoval’s phone. The pair had allegedly been seeing each other for “upwards of six months” — around the time or shortly after cameras started rolling on season 10 of Vanderpump Rules.

An alleged friend of Raquel’s said in a since-deleted post to the Vanderpump subredditAriana became suspicious about the couple in the months prior to their split. Ariana nearly caught Sandoval and Raquel together, according to the poster. Sandoval claimed that he was bringing Raquel water at 4 AM. While a source told Page Six that Raquel would spend the night when Ariana was out of town, James claimed to DeuxMoi that Sandoval and Raquel would hook up in the house while “Ariana [was] sleeping.”

Though Sandoval was accused of cheating on Kristen multiple times, Ariana and Sandoval have long been the show’s most stable couple. On March 1, only hours before Ariana discovered the affair, Sandoval told Page Six that the secret to their relationship is that they’ve “been really good about respecting each other.” Now, there are reports saying Sandoval and Raquel “want to be together” following his breakup with Ariana.

Weren’t Raquel and Ariana friends, though?

Photo: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Yes, and that’s part of why the affair is so devastating to those involved and to fans. When Raquel joined the show, she wasn’t greeted by a warm reception; the cast is notoriously cliquey and their dislike of James influenced their reception of Raquel. Ariana, however, was a great exception. She supported Raquel all the way. Over the years Katie grew to like Raquel and they were both in their 9th season. took and sold photos of their feet to help fund Raquel’s second nose job.

In the currently airing 10th season, Ariana continues to be a support system for Raquel in the wake of her and James’ breakup, encouraging Raquel to get back out there (just not with Schwartz). A episode of the Chicks at the Office podcast that released on March 3, Raquel said: “Ariana and Scheana were the ones that really embraced me into this group and have been there for me since day one, so I know who my true friends are.”

This could mean that Raquel was sexing with both Toms simultaneously?

Bravo

Possibly. Then things go awry into conspiracy land. Raquel Schwartz was first reported to have gotten engaged at Coachella 2022. Schwartz was not able to attend Coachella this year, but Sandoval did. Raquel posted even a picture of the pair at Coachella. Unknown if Coachella was an exaggerated rumor or whether the source just got their Toms mixed. Though the same person claiming to be Raquel’s friend on Reddit said Raquel and Sandoval did hook up at Coachella.

True or false: The rumor inspired Scheana’s push to get Raquel & Schwartz in. Actually hook up — a crusade currently being chronicled in the airing episodes of Vanderpump. It is understandable that Katie is angry about this. Schwartz and she agreed not to be friends with anyone in the group. Scheana as well as Raquel were ostensibly Katie’s best friends. In the season’s fourth episode, Raquel admits to Katie that she recently approached Schwartz and asked him directly to make out. (He declined.) Upon hearing the confession, Ariana tells Raquel, “Girl, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

We know that Schwartz and Raquel did kiss at Scheana’s wedding in August, though the episode covering the moment has yet to air. However, fans have begun to question the authenticity of Schwartz-Raquel’s whole story. The unsubstantiated theory is that Schwartz was the only person in the cast to know about the affair and agreed to act as a decoy, playing into a false storyline about his own romance with Raquel to distract from Sandoval and Raquel’s real affair. Seeing as Schwartz previously said he’d cover up for a different co-star’s cheating — and this coming on the heels of fans watching how false narratives distracted from real cheating in Real Housewives of Potomac’s recently wrapped season — the decoy theory is popular among Bravo fans.

The revelation of the affair has also sparked close reexamination of Schwartz and Sandoval’s recent joint interviews. On the March 6 episode of Andy Cohen’s Sirius show Radio Andy, Andy recalled the “odd energy between them” on a February episode of Live, Watch What Happens “Schwartz was looking at Sandoval the entire time, almost for guidance on answers.”

On March 4, Sandoval said that Schwartz only learned “very recently” and “did not condone [his] actions.”

This is the reason it’s so chaotic

Photo: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Vanderpump The show was literally created on cheating. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Scheana confronts Brandi Glanville about Brandi Glanville’s affair with Eddie Cibrian, while Brandi was still married to him. Vanderpump previously peaked in season 2 when it was revealed that Kristen cheated on Sandoval with Jax Taylor, Sandoval’s best friend and the boyfriend of Kristen’s best friend, Stassi Schroeder.

But the affair between Sandoval and Raquel is different for several reasons, including the extent of their affair and the seriousness of Sandoval and Ariana’s relationship. Cast members of this cast are not 20-somethings trying to make their own lives. Sandoval, who is 39 years old, and Ariana (37), have a house and had several business ventures. Ariana and Sandoval will share their home in 2021. WWHL that she might now be “more open to marriage,” something Sandoval has always wanted.

The real difference is the shameless relationship between Raquel Sandoval and Sandoval. Sandoval dressed up in a TomTom sweatshirt as Raquel to celebrate Halloween. The feud between Katie & Raquel about the Schwartz hookup was heated at the time. Sandoval’s costume was taken as an insult to Katie who Sandoval had never been in a relationship.

While disrespecting Katie may have been part of the intention, it’s unbelievable that Sandoval dressed up as the woman he was having an affair with, went out with Ariana and Raquel that night while dressed as Raquel, and that Raquel posted several playful photos and videos of Sandoval in the costume — all of which are still available in her Halloween Instagram highlights. Andy Cohen received the TomTom sweatshirt from Raquel at a taping on March 1st. Live: Watch What Happens. Scheana and Andy were surprised when she said that Sandoval was hotter than Tom during the episode.

Most shocking is however the report that both of them have matching lightning bolt pendant necklaces as a symbol of their love. After this report first surfaced, it didn’t take long for fans to find both Sandoval and Raquel wearing lightning bolt necklaces regularly, including in front of Ariana. According to TMZ Tom and Raquel can be seen sporting lightning bolt necklaces beginning in October 2022. While lightning bolt necklaces aren’t uncommon, nothing seems outside the realm of possibility at this point.

This drama and all the rest will unfold later in this season. Vanderpump Rules. Bravo resumed season 10 production after the scandal of cheating was revealed. Per Page Six, Ariana and Sandoval filmed together on March 3, with sources saying their conversation left Ariana feeling “gaslit” by Tom, who allegedly used their house, Ariana’s mental health, and her grandmother’s death last year as excuses for hiding the affair.

Which cast members have responded to the casting call?

To quote Real Housewives of New York star Dorinda Medley, “Not well, bitch!” After the news broke, it was all the Bravo universe could talk about. Both former and current VanderpumpBravolebrities and stars showed their support for Ariana. Dorinda, the agent of Ariana’s home, was there. got involved.

Ariana removed her Instagram but her fans still get updates from her co-stars and friends. Kristen shared a video with Ariana on March 3 and expressed her love for Ariana. Lala posted numerous videos and stories calling out Sandoval, Raquel. In one, she says Ariana gave her “full consent to torch these motherfuckers.” Lala also put her Bambi Eyed B*tch eyeshadow palette, a collaboration with Raquel, on heavy discount, declaring everything must go. It is currently sold out.

At first, Katie went the route of simplicity, posting two clown emojis to her Instagram Stories, but has since followed that up with several posts showing support for Ariana, with whom she’s been planning on opening a sandwich shop. James trolled Sandoval’s page and jokingly instructed fans to throw tomatoes at him during the March 3 Sandoval & the Most Extras show. (Tomatoes weren’t thrown, but fans did shout “Ariana!” at him.)

Schwartz, of course, has chosen to stay out of it, posting an Instagram Story saying, “I asked my magic 8 ball if it’s going to be a chill day .”

But the most shocking response allegedly came from Scheana, one of Raquel’s best friends and the only one who was with her on March 1. Reddit says that the incident occurred after the WWHL taping, Scheana and Raquel were still together when Ariana discovered the messages on Sandoval’s phone. Scheana then found out that Raquel had confessed to the affair. Raquel allegedly hit Raquel.

Image: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Raquel’s sister alluded to this rumor on March 4. After Vanderpump cast member (and Raquel’s former friend) Charli Burnett posted that “no one deserves to feel this gut punch,” Raquel’s sister responded, “Nor, punched in the face.” When a user said Raquel’s sister was “sick” to defend her, the sister said she wasn’t “defending, just also not condoning physical violence.” “Get the fuck off my page before I drag you & your mf sister. Show her this too,” Charli wroteThe sister was called a very NSFW title.

Sandoval issued a statement in March 4. In it, he asked fans to stop directing anger at Schwartz & Sandy’s, which was being Yelp-bombed and having its Instagram page spammed with negative comments. Sandoval apologised to his employees and business partners who had been harmed by scandal but did not mention Ariana. Schwartz & Sandy’s put out a statement of its own, saying the company is “disappointed by the current situation” and considers Ariana “a good friend.”

Raquel is yet to comment on the matter, but she allegedly employed the same publicist. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne.

That’s a lot! Vanderpump The process took just three days. The cameras are rolling in order to catch it all. It is planned to include the cheating scandal in the current season. The reunion will be filmed within two weeks.